Milk and Marshmallows
by Redeeming Endeavor
Summary: "You're asking me to let a stranger wander the house that I'm babysitting in and be perfectly fine with it?" she hissed. Wow. Feisty one. "Who are you, what are you doing in this house, and why are you naked?" Life is full of surprises.
1. The Babysitter

Chapter 1: The Babysitter

"This must be it."

I opened the door of my car, careful not to hit the expensive-looking convertible I had parked next to. I sighed in relief after getting out without an incident. There I was, fresh out of another year of high school, and I was already back to work.

Well, babysitting. But I was supposedly getting paid, so it's work.

My destination was in a secluded area, one of the few houses on the only mountain of Destiny Islands. The road back was a long, winding, curl down the mountain, so much it was at least a ten minute drive to reach sea level. From my house, which was inconveniently across town, it was a whopping forty minute drive. And on an island as small as mine, that was quite the significant amount.

I took in the sight of the house of my recent employers. I had to admit, it wasn't what I expected. I mean, I never expected that my P.E. teacher would have such a… large and beautiful estate. Then again, she _was_ a martial arts champion back in the day. But did martial artists make _that_ much money?

Ending my admiration of the wonderful house, I made my way towards the front entrance. I opened a screen door, which was heavier than I expected, and lightly pressed the doorbell, straightening out my clothes.

The door opened, so I looked up and locked eyes with— have you ever encountered something that was so unexpected, so unreal, and so… I don't know, improbable, that when it happened, you were just stunned and swept off your feet? Well, this was one of those times. I was looking at (and I was also being looked at) Cloud Strife, a freaking award-winning actor.

No way. This couldn't be the right house. Hell, this couldn't be reality. One puzzle piece fell into place: the man before me was reason enough for such a nice home.

"A-Are you… Cloud Strife? _The_ Cloud Strife?" I asked in awe. Seriously! I _must have_ missed the right house! This wasn't possible.

"Yep. Are you the tennis player? _The_ star tennis player?" he repeated in the same fashion. Was he mocking me?

Wait. He knew I was a tennis player. The most publicity I've gotten was a local news segment that nobody watched. How in the world did a big-shot actor like him know something about someone as small as me?

I stood there in silence for a while. His face indicated… nothing. No smile, no frown… no trace of surprise or feeling or anything. I couldn't deny that each of those was fighting for a place on my face, which was twisted with all sorts of feelings.

"Cloud, is that Kairi at the door?" a familiar voice asked. I snapped out of my reverie and focused on the sound of approaching footsteps. _The_ Cloud Strife took a step to the side.

And there was my P.E. teacher and tennis coach. Why, hello there. Thank you for telling me you lived with an A-list celebrity. Would you happen to be his maid?

"Miss Lockhart!" I said excitedly. And awkwardly. She smiled, ignoring my raised brow, and actually shoved _the_ Cloud Strife as she passed him. He smirked.

Holy. Sexy- did anyone else see that?

"Come in, come in! Sorry, I would've answered the door, but I was still helping Penny and Vaan dress," she said exasperatedly, tucking strands of her long black hair behind her ear. I was rooted in place, unable to follow her orders. What about the famous guy standing there? Is he going to be a problem? She turned to Cloud, arms akimbo. "I told you not to answer the door! Way to kill the surprise!"

He shrugged, not saying anything. This was way too weird. I was standing in front of one of my teachers and a famous celebrity, and she acted perfectly normal. You know, because this happens often. Those teachers and celebrities _really_ hit it off all day every day.

I'm sorry. I'm getting out of hand.

What is my teacher doing in the house of a celebrity, which is obviously _not_ the house I was supposed to end up at?

No use in trying to stall. I had to ask. "Miss Lockhart, why is _the_ Cloud Strife in your house…?" I shot a glance in his direction. He casually met my eyes, forcing me to look back at my teacher. My breathing got heavier as I waited for the answer.

"Ah, yes… about that… you see, Mr. Strife here is my husband."

Ha. Hahaha... ha...

The last thing I remembered seeing was a beautiful chandelier hanging from a high ceiling.

* * *

And then I heard something.

"I told you it was a good idea to have her come early. Now you owe m—"

The sound of my teacher's voice interrupted the sentence, "Ssssh! She's waking up!"

I slowly opened my eyes, waiting for the pain to kick in from the impact I made with the floor. I waited… and waited… and nothing happened. I looked to discover I was lying on a soft sofa. Funny. I didn't step in front of that before falling.

"Huh?" I sat up. Regardless of the lack of pain, my hand still made its way to rub the back of my head.

"You fainted," Cloud told me, sliding one of his hands into a pocket. Wow. I didn't know we were on the familiar friendship level. Hello, my name is Kai—

"I caught you before you hit the ground. Couldn't let anything happen to my babysitter, right?" My coach smiled at me and slowly rubbed my back.

"Oh," I said dumbly. I was talking to a celebrity. And my teacher was married to him. Did I wake up? Probably not.

"Sorry, I know that was unexpected," Miss Lockhart said as she placed a hand on my lap, "but if everyone knew who I was married to, well, I wouldn't be able to teach in peace."

So I wasn't dreaming. Ha! It was all real.

I nodded. "I understand…" because I'm just that wonderful, "…though, I can't deny the fact that this had to be one of the biggest surprises ever." I giggled. The blonde smirked. Call me a fangirl, but I blushed.

It was a joke, wasn't it? It had to be a joke. There was something wrong with the picture. There had to be. "Is this... real?" I asked hesitantly.

My teacher offered a small smile and a slow nod. "Yeah. No hidden cameras, no script. This is all real. I am married to a famous actor, I live in a very nice house on the only mountain of Destiny Islands, and I am indeed a tennis coach that offered my star player a babysitting job."

I could sense nothing but sincerity. She didn't say she was an actress after all. "Okay. I believe you." I released a long breath, letting the information sink in.

Then it hit me.

"By the way… may I have an autograph, please?" I asked nervously. What? It was a valid question.

Both adults broke into a light laughter.

"Sure. When we get back, I'll give you a signed check," he said with a faint smile. His wife (which I was still trying to establish in my mind) turned to him with a scowl.

"You know she's not talking about that," she scolded. She turned back to me, standing up. "I'll make him sign something for you. We'll give it to you _with_ the paycheck when we get back. Sound good to you, Kairi?"

"Of course!" I said excitedly, shooting up from the couch I was sitting on. Of course I wasn't overzealous about. He just happened to be a hot superstar, and I a normal, ordinary girl that wanted to take advantage of a wondrous opportunity.

"Well, seeing as how you're all better, how about I show you the kitchen and back? And the house, of course. Cloud, will you get her suitcase out of the car?"

I looked at her, a shocked expression on my face. "How'd you know I had one?" I also wanted to ask her why she would make a masterpiece like him do manual labor, but that wasn't my business.

"Well, for one thing, I told you to bring one. You'll be staying here for a week, right?" I nodded dumbly. Of course. Way to look like one of those "book-smart only" kids, Kairi. "And two, your car is weighed down in the back. So, by the looks of it…"

Cloud groaned. If that didn't scream "more than one suitcase," then I wouldn't know how to explain it further. That didn't change the fact that her husband (I resisted the urge to tear up at the thought of another guy off-limits) went outside to perform his duty.

I laughed nervously. "You sure have quite the eye for detail…" I said, following her through the kitchen. She stopped and turned around to face me.

"You have to have one to be a good martial artist. I've trained to the point where I notice everything. Why, the scrunching of his eyes as he throws a punch, the way his lips curl as he prepares a roundhouse kick, which foot he steps back with first… the cringing expression he puts when he knows he's about to get it…" She laughed, ending her explanation. "Sorry, it's been a while, and I like remembering the glory days."

Shaking my head, I laughed. "It's no problem. Will you ever consider hopping back on that path?"

"I'll be going to a competition in Twilight Town on this little vacation. I hope there'll be some great competition. Wonder if I still got it…" she said more to herself, her hands curling into fists. I smiled, noticing her excitement. "Oh, I'm sorry. I kind of went off there, didn't I?"

"It's fine. Your kitchen is nice, by the way," I slid my hand along the countertop, admiring the design.

"Oh, thank you. Picked it out myself: cabinets, stove, fridge, everything. I labeled the locations of everything for you. By the end of the week, you'll know every little nook and cranny, won't you?"

I laughed sheepishly. "Probably. So, I've seen most of downstairs…." I pointed to the staircase. "What's up there?"

"Oh! The rooms. You can stay in the guest room… you know what, I'll just show you." We left the kitchen, passing by an inconspicuous, closed door. Since it wasn't even mentioned, I figured it wasn't anything important. She led me up the stairs, taking each step one at a time. Lovely time for small talk.

"Miss Lockhart, if you don't mind me asking… how is all this possible? Cloud Strife is such a famous celebrity. How can he not get any public attention? What about the paparazzi? I mean, aren't famous people publicized no matter how hard they try?"

She laughed "Kairi, have you seen the man? He doesn't knock out with glares. He kills multiple times over. He's scared many people off quite easily… not to mention we have Miss Kisaragi on the coast of Destiny Islands to attract all the attention… and some connections," she mumbled at the end, piquing my interest.

"Connections? What do you mean?" we reached the top of the staircase and she stopped, her voice lowered to a whisper.

"We have someone… a friend who… '_censors,'"_ she said and actually air quoted, "most of the tabloids. He's quite skilled with technology. It's not that Cloud avoids or escapes the fame he's so conveniently wrapped himself in; rather, we have the ability to make sure his life doesn't reach the public. Word of mouth, especially of tabloid magazine journalists, rarely reaches beyond friends and family. So let's just leave it at that, shall we?"

I nodded quickly, following her lead. "Of course. So… what room is this?" We were at the end of the hallway, and I was curious to know what exactly existed here. Was it safe to expect another celebrity? Just to make things more shocking, maybe there'd be a unicorn inside!

Opening the door a crack, she turned and smiled at me. "Mine." She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It was actually very plain. I was expecting… I don't know, something more of the rooms you see on T.V., but this one was standard. A king-sized bed, a flat screen T.V., a loveseat, and a set of drawers filled the space. The walls were painted a light, pale green, and the curtained windows allowed just enough light to give it the perfect, comfortable ambience it was definitely designed to capture. She led me around to a short hallway with mirrors on both sides.

"Closets, of course. Mine's the one on the left," Miss Lockhart noted as she slid the bathroom door aside. The bathroom was, much to my excitement, the kind of bathroom worthy of a celebrity.

The bath tub was huge, and most of its walls were lined with jets. Many different bath mixes and candles were placed around the tub, and a light scent of lavender permeated from a mysterious source. Close to the tub was a shower with a glass door. From above, about three different showerheads, all from different angles, hung from the ceiling. My coach squealed excitedly and hopped into the shower.

"You need to see this. We got this installed a month ago, and I still can't get over how cool it is!" She giggled, which was strange coming from such a… disciplined woman, but I watched. She closed the glass door, and after a click, my teacher disappeared behind a fogged glass door.

Now _that_ was cool. "Whoa!" I heard her laugh, echoing from the little shower box.

"Isn't that great? I have no idea how it works." Another click, and the glass returned to normal. She stepped out. "But it's so cool! My husband's not too fond of it though," she said with a wink. I couldn't help but blush. Too much information.

"What don't I like?" a voice asked from outside the bathroom. We both turned to see Gorgeous… pardon, Mr. Strife standing there with his arms crossed.

"It's nothing, honey. Just showing Kairi the bathroom." She ignored the look he gave her and turned to me. "You know, the kids really love the Jacuzzi-bathtub thingy. Sometimes the only way to get 'em to bathe is a bubble bath!" I nodded, pretending that we were in fact talking about the kids.

"I put every bag you had in the guest room," he said, looking at me. While I melted, he turned to his wife. "We have to leave soon, Tifa. You have about twenty minutes. "

"Oh! That's plenty of time. C'mon. I'll show you the rest of the place. Let's head to the kids' room first…"

* * *

After the house tour, I found myself outside, a child's hand in each of my own. The children, Penelo and Vaan, and I were waving the parents good-bye. The kids were simply _adorable._ Penelo, or "Penny," had her blond hair in short pigtails, while Vaan's fell around the sides of his face. They were twins, four years old and turning five in two months. I assumed they liked me as much as I liked them. I mean, they were holding my hands, and I had met both of them on occasion at tennis meets, so I was already comfortable with them. After speaking with the limo driver, the two parents walked toward us.

"We'll miss you so much," Miss Lockhart told her children. Her voice sounded as if she were about to cry. Her kids were happily smiling and hugged her back.

"We'll miss you too, Mommy," Penelo said, her tiny hands on her mother's cheeks. Vaan nodded enthusiastically. Cloud knelt down and patted his kids on their heads, rubbing them lightly.

"You two better be good for Kairi here. Protect your sister, Vaan." It was the first time I saw a full smile on the stoic actor's face.

"Yes, sir!" Vaan gave the salute only a four year old could give, and I couldn't help but smile. It had to be a crime to be that cute. Cloud stood up, directing his gaze at me.

"Take care of them for us. And call if they're giving you trouble," he said, the faintest smile on his face. I nodded nervously and gulped. I wasn't nervous. Just getting over the fact that I was being addressed by… forget it.

Miss Lockhart stood at full height, giving me a hug. "Thank you so much for everything, Kairi. I know you'll be fine. We'll call every now and then to check up on you guys!"

"We'll be happy to hear from you," I said, folding my hands behind my back.

The farewell seemed to go by far too quickly. We watched the limo head down the street, and when it turned the corner, they were gone. The children looked up at me with their smiling faces, a double dose of cuteness. _So freaking adorable._

And so it finally began. I would babysit the kids for a week, fulfill all the obligations of a normal parent, and live in the house of a celebrity. And I would get paid while doing so.

The kids were still staring at me with curiosity. I had to do something to entertain them. "C'mon guys," I said, lightly tugging their tiny hands. "Wanna go swimming?"

* * *

_Small edits made on 9/20/12._


	2. Surprise!

Chapter 2: Surprise!

When my teacher told me I could actually have certain friends over, I took that statement to heart. Which thus explains why my friend Naminé was making her way over right now.

I sat at the edge of the pool, watching the kids climb the slide, go down, swim to the edge and climb out, and repeat the process over again. Both of the children had little floaters on their arms, and three noodles floated unused in the pool. I sighed in content, watching the kids enjoy themselves.

The slide had to rise at least eight feet off the ground, but the kids seemed to understand the dangers and had visibly assured me how careful they were. They were well-trained in terms of safety, but I expected nothing less from their mother. It seemed that they both knew that only one person was allowed on the slide at a time, and that they had to wait for the other to get out of the way.

"Kairi, come slide with us!" Penelo giggled, waving her hands in the air. I lowered myself into the pool in the shallow ended, allowing my lower body to get wet. I walked across the pool and pulled myself out.

"You're going to slide?" Vaan asked me in awe. I love how little kids found everything more exciting when the big kid did it.

"Yup! Is it scary?" I asked, grabbing onto the railing that lined the stairs.

"No! It's really fun!" the other twin said, nudging me forward. I climbed the staircase, which wasn't as steep as it looked from afar, and sat down at the top.

"I don't know about this," faking fear, I turned to look at the kids, who were laughing at the base of the slide.

"You can do it! Daddy did it before and he wasn't scared!" Now that was a funny thought. Cloud Strife on a pool slide.

"Here I go then!" I said, pushing off. The ride, as I expected, was short. The cool water quickly enveloped me, and I quickly brought my head above the surface. The kids were cheering for me.

"Well done, Kairi!" a familiar voice said from the other end of the pool. I turned to see a familiar face, the face of my coach's nephew and the tennis team captain. Ha. I knew they would come together.

"Roxas!" the kids called, running towards him. He had a bathing suit on and a towel around his neck, obviously prepared for swimming. He greeted his wet cousins, laughing as they purposely tried to make him as wet as possible. I swam over to him, eventually standing up in the shallow waters.

"You never told me who your uncle was," I joked with him, crossing my arms. He smiled and gave me a knowing look. _You know exactly why, _it said.

"Kairi, you're swimming and the kids aren't? If I knew that you'd be such a failure of a babysitter, I would have showed up this morning!" another voice entered the back as my best friend closed the door. "You watch the kids swim, not the other way around!"

"Naminé!" I called, getting out of the pool. Someone was feeling bold today. Well, I had a thing or two to show the blonde! I noticed her attire when I took my first steps toward her. She was already wearing her bathing suit; in fact, it was the same exact one as mine.

"Kairi," she returned, giving me a hug. Ha. So she fell for my trap. My hands darted towards her sides and I tickled her. That didn't take much effort at all.

"Ha! You fell for it!" I kept tickling her as she tried to swat my hands away. As if she could. "You said someone was a failure of a babysitter?!"

"S-stop, Kairi!" she said in between laughs. I laughed at her inability to speak. We probably looked like a bunch of…

"As much as I'm enjoying this… well, what am I saying? Continue with whatever you're doing," Roxas interjected. We both turned to him, Naminé blushing and me giving him a dirty look. The pervert.

"Of course, how could we expect anything less of Roxas," I asked him sarcastically. Naminé squirmed as Roxas laughed.

"Exactly," he lifted both kids, who were laughing hysterically, and tossed them into the pool, one by one. The floaters on their arms pulled them to the surface, releasing their giddy laughter into the air. "Will you two be joining us?" he asked, ripping his shirt off and tossing it on a nearby table. How's that for your fantasy, Naminé?

"Of course! You were the one who interrupted my swim, after all!" I told him. Naminé had averted her gaze, the blush still on her cheeks. We were most certainly going to talk later.

I lowered myself into the pool, helping each child put on a pair of goggles. I turned to see Roxas and Naminé flirting (they didn't seem to think so) again, watching as the blond in the pool playfully splashed my best friend. She laughed, ran to the edge of the pool, and kicked water towards his face before retreating again.

"Kairi," Penelo called me, curiosity lacing her tone, "is Naminé Roxas's girlfriend?"

I almost laughed. Even a four year old could see the chemistry. "No… or at least, not yet," I said, smiling to her. "Do you think they would look cute together?"

"Yeah! Like Mommy and Daddy!" the blond girl said happily, a noodle tucked under her arm. Her brother kicked his way over to us, a noodle under his arm and a water pistol in his hand, and joined our conversation.

"Why is Roxas like that with a _girl?_" Vaan asked, his face scrunching in disgust. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. How things change...

"You know what I think? I think he likes her!" I whispered to them both. Penny squealed while her brother grimaced.

We all turned and watched as Roxas climbed out of the pool, picked Naminé up (bridal style, if I may add) and leapt into the deep end. Both of them came up laughing and blushing.

"Blech!" Vaan looked away in disgust. I laughed along with his sister, who was splashing her brother.

"Don't do that!" she chided. "I want her to be his girlfriend! Then we'd see her a lot more."

I love these kids. This week was going to be awesome.

* * *

I lost track of the time… hmm, I can't say how long ago. Resting on the floating recliner, I had nothing but the safety of the kids in mind. And from the looks of it, they were in the good hands of their cousin Roxas. Naminé was sitting on the ledge, watching Roxas and the kids play.

Ugh, that girl. I love her and all, but wow, is she frustrating.

I met Roxas and Naminé when I first moved here to Destiny Islands. The two had been friends since birth, and I think it was their fathers… could have been their mothers, but anyway… were best friends since high school. Roxas and Naminé _obviously_ like each other. You'd be stupid to question it. I would have to hit you if you said that they didn't like each other.

Amazingly, for some unknown reason, they haven't taken a step to further their relationship. And what the hell? They're obviously going to get married. Best friends don't hold hands the boyfriend-girlfriend way— that is, _intertwining fingers_—and they don't sleep next to each other and freaking _cuddle_ at sleepover movie nights. They've done every couple thing save for kissing. And whatever may follow that stage, of course.

It's so strange to me. If you found that one person who will always be there for you, who you will love, and always love, and who always makes you happy, why wouldn't you be with that person? Roxas to Naminé is so much _more_ than that too! Our whole group of friends would agree with me. Those two were made for each other. We don't even have to try to set them up for dates or anything. They do those themselves. I have never seen such strong denial from anyone, ever. Well, stubbornness, or just plain old obliviousness.

Hmm. You're probably sick of my ranting on the stubborn pair. I'll stop, let the whole thing sink in, and explain more later.

Well, nevermind. I can't stop.

Because recently, I really think something's been going on between the two. At the end of school a couple days back, something must've happened. They were more… I don't know, embarrassed, modest… jittery, around each other. Like the "oh my gosh I just realized that I like you like that" stage of a relationship. And I am _super excited._ I feel it coming. It's going to happen this summer. I'm willing to lay down one hundred munny in the pool bet my little coterie agreed on.

Is that kind of wrong? All of us, their friends, are betting on their (imminent) relationship. Hmm, well, even if it is, what's done is done. And I was going to be a _lot_ richer if things worked out.

"Kairi, you have that smile again." A voice destroyed my thought process, commanding my attention to a blonde floating near my floating recliner. I was smiling? Oh, speak of the devil.

"What smile are you talking about? I have a lot to be happy about," I reasoned.

"And I'm your best friend, so I know what each one stands for. The smile you had on just seconds ago showed that you were planning something. But then it changed into the 'I'm so paid' smile," she narrowed her eyes at me, her stare scrutinizing. There was no way she heard about the group bet… right?

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yeah, I fail at lying. Don't hate.

"Uh-huh," she wrapped an arm over the armrest of the floating pool chair. "Tell me, hon…"

"Tell you what?" I raised a brow, hoping my façade would be enough.

"How much are you making from this babysitting job, exactly? You apparently got a good deal with such a smile."

Well, that was anticlimactic. Oh, my dumb, sweet little Naminé. Ha ha ha. I love you, my friend. Truly, I love you.

I laughed, unable to suppress myself. "The rates are normal. I'm getting eighty munny a day." She looked at me skeptically, so I continued, "You might not think it's much, but that's eight times our minimum wage, right?"

"Yeah. I was just expecting something more with that smile."

"It's a lot. I get to live here for the week, and the kids have camp for the majority of the day, anyway. I have what, seven hours of time truly spent with them. It's like getting an extra ten munny as bonus. If you ask me, I see it as a job with decent pay and _amazing_ benefits."

"Oh yes, you sure are reeling in the dough, aren't you?" she teased. "So easily pleased. Boys would love a low-maintenance girl such as yourself."

Thank you for bringing up the topic I was reluctant to approach. "Speaking of which,"

"Oh no, I just had to bring this up," she groaned and tried swimming away, but I grabbed the straps that tied around her back.

"And where do you think you're going, missy?" I teased, tugging the strings. She whined and relented. That 'a girl.

"Kairi," she whined with puppy dog eyes. Girl, please, I'm not Roxas. "Why are you doing this?"

"You brought it up, Naminé. And now you must speak," I removed my finger and hopped in the water, pushing the pool chair away. "So what happened?"

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," she looked at me, completely confused. Wow. She wasn't lying.

"Around the end of school, you and Roxas were acting weirdly around each other. What was that about?"

Her eyes widened when I brought it up. So something had happened, after all. "Oh… that…"

Yes, that. Now tell me! "What was it about, Naminé?" Yeah, can't exactly ask in the fashion I please, but whatever gets my information.

"Roxas's family and mine are going on a cruise, beginning at the end of the month," she explained. I nodded, telling her to continue. "And… oh my gosh, this was incredibly embarrassing…"

"What happened?" my curiosity was at a peak. I need details, Love! Details!

"My parents told me that I'll be rooming with Roxas…" she said, sighing in defeat. Seriously? That's it?

"That's it?" the question came out tonelessly and bluntly.

"Of course not! Then my freaking parents started joking about Roxas and me. About how they expect us to be on our best behavior because they don't want grandchildren!" Naminé cried. Ouch. Not quite the ideal dinner topic.

"Wow. Your parents went _there_?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes! I wasn't lying when I said incredibly embarrassing!" she threw water on her red face. "Roxas's parents joined in too. Oh my gosh, I can't describe how awkward it was. Roxas was just as embarrassed…"

"Can't blame you guys…"

She continued, "So that whole talk made us kind of uncomfortable. I mean, not because I don't like, er, want…" Don't smile, Kairi. Don't smile. "You know, I don't like thinking that Roxas would… well, I do, but…"

I burst out laughing. That objective failed big time. "N-Naminé…" I said in between gasps, "you are… oh my gosh, I love you…" I gave her a hug. Life is never dull with Naminé. Roxas would agree.

"What?" she asked slowly.

"Nothing, nothing… I'm just glad you guys made up," I looked at Roxas, who spotted Naminé and me. This conversation was officially going to end soon. Boys just didn't understand the value and importance of girl to girl talks. "Well, you did make up with him, right?"

A serene and innocent smile graced her face as her eyes met Roxas's. Oh my gosh, they're doing it again. Going all googly-eyed. "Yeah, we made up."

"Good for you, Naminé." I splashed water towards her face, stealing her attention. "You can go back to lover-boy if you want. I won't be offended."

"Kairi," she used a warning tone, but the smile on her face never left.

"Naminé," I bade her farewell. So maybe I shouldn't put one hundred money into the bet with the group.

But that won't stop me from thinking that the relationship will blossom sometime soon.

* * *

I sat at the kitchen table with Penelo on my lap, lightly drying her wet hair. Naminé was charged with making dinner, and Roxas took Vaan up to take his bath. We finished swimming about an hour or two ago, and I wanted the twins to take a bath quickly after getting out. Naminé and I had yet to take a shower, but we had some responsibilities to fulfill. Shockingly enough, the kitchen was quiet, with the occasional conversation popping up every now and then. When Naminé directed her attention to the stove, I whispered to Penelo. She quickly agreed to my proposition and nodded enthusiastically. I smiled and started another conversation.

"So Penny and I were talking and…"

"We think you should be Roxas's girlfriend!" she finished, her arms shooting into the air. I laughed, combing through her hair, and waited for Namine's reaction.

I wasn't surprised to see a blush upon her cheeks. Her answer, however, was definitely unexpected. "You wanna know a secret?" she asked us both. I stared at her quizzically, while Penelo excitedly nodded. "I think I should be too," she smiled and winked.

I involuntarily gasped, which was buried underneath the child's squeal. You've been holding out on me, oh best friend of mine.

"What'd we miss?" Roxas entered the kitchen wearing only shorts, with Vaan running circles around him in _The Lion King_ pajamas. I quietly called them over to sit at the table, while Naminé kept her eyes trained on her cooking.

"We were just talking about you, Rox!" Penelo exclaimed, "Naminé said that—"

"You were taking a long time showering!" she ran over, holding a hand over the girl's mouth. Penelo looked at me confusedly while I continued for Naminé.

"So I said that Roxas is probably helping Vaan out with his bath first. Yup. Talking about you… definitely," I lamely finished. What? Covering up childish naïveté is harder than you think. I pulled Namine's hand away from Penelo's mouth, and she walked back to the stove, her eyes trained on me. "Uh-huh," Roxas said doubtingly, a smirk on his face.

You know, if Naminé hadn't called dibs on this guy, I'd totally want to date him. Simply put, the guy was hot. Naminé sure knows how to pick 'em. "Say, I have an idea. Why don't my cousins and I, including Penny," he looked at her, "watch some T.V. in the living room?"

I made sure the horrified expression that was about to surface stayed under my smile. "No, that won't be necessary!"

"Oh, I see no problem with it. I'd be glad to take them off your hands for just a short while. You can ever shower if you want to," he proposed. The kids were staring at each other in some sort of contest.

"No, I love these kids! I'm having so much fun with them!"

"I'm sure you'd like a break,"

"I'm perfectly fine. You're thinking wrongly,"

"Well then, I insist!" he said, getting up from the table. I could tell from his smile that he thought he was going to win. Over my dead body.

"Like I said, that won't be necessary!"

"Why are you so insistent?"

"Why are _you_?" I shot back.

"Because I want to spend some quality time with my cousins!" he reasoned. Said cousins were making faces at each other, trying to make the opponent laugh. Look, Roxas. They want to spend time with you too!

"Because… I'm hungry!" Wow, Kari. Talk about fail.

"And dinner is ready, so let's eat, shall we?" Naminé walked toward us holding a large pot. I turned back to Roxas and stuck my tongue out at him. He looked annoyed, but that would quickly disappear: he was such a sucker for Namine's cooking. The kids ended their contest and cheered as Naminé set plates before them.

"I'm starving!" they said simultaneously. I couldn't stop myself from laughing at the twin moment.

* * *

"I'm full." Vaan set his fork down and stared at a plate of food.

Well now. That was short lived.

He must've eaten a whole _ten_ bites. I felt like a wise parent, because when I was younger, I had totally done that before.

"Me too," Penelo agreed. Of course, she was still chewing food in her mouth as she said that. Full indeed.

"Sorry kids, but you aren't allowed to have ice cream unless your plate is cleaned of food," I told them, stabbing at my broccoli. Roxas was happily stuffing his face when Vaan and Penelo looked at him. Yeah. I did that too, kids. "And no, you have to eat it yourselves. You can't give it to Roxas. C'mon, don't pout!"

Penelo was resting her head on her hand, looking depressed. Vaan, on the other hand, patted his food with his spoon, perhaps hoping that if he smashed it to smithereens, it would count as eaten.. I looked to Naminé for help. She owed me.

She nodded, and after swallowing her food, she asked the children, "You don't like my cooking?" she frowned. Both kids perked up when she addressed them.

"No, the food is really good!" Vaan said. Roxas mumbled something of agreement, buried behind all the food in his mouth.

"Then why won't you eat it?" she asked them sadly. There we go, Naminé. Guilt those children!

"Because we're full!" Penelo complained, leaning back into her seat. Vaan nodded in affirmation.

"Can you guys eat at least ten more bites each? Ten more spoonfuls?" Naminé begged them. "If you do, I'll bake some cookies before I leave."

The children's eyes lit up. Apparently, Roxas heard it too.

"Cookies! I love cookies!" he exclaimed excitedly. The kids were all smiles. Good job, Naminé! They definitely forgot about the ice cream by now!

"Alright guys, ten more bites, okay?" I looked at each twin and counted for them as they "finished" their dinner. Naminé had finished eating, so she had already begun preparing a cookie tray. After they had finished their assigned amount, I took both of their plates and moved any food that was uneaten to Roxas's plate. He'll eat it.

"There. A little gift from your cousins," I smiled at him, picking up all the dishes. Boys and their appetites.

I walked over to the sink and let some water run. "Have some fun," and then I added in a whisper, "don't make babies!" Naminé turned to me with wide eyes, catching the mischievous smile on my face. "C'mon kids! Let's go in the living room and call Mommy and Daddy!"

They scrambled out of their seats and ran into the living room, excited for the call. Or maybe it was the cookies. I patted Roxas's back as I passed him. "Be good!"

He gave me a confused look as I left him in the kitchen with Naminé. I picked up one of the many house phones and began dialing my teacher's number. I sat on the couch with a twin on each side, waiting for an answer. On the last ring of the dial tone, their mother finally picked up.

"Kairi! I almost missed the call, I'm sorry! We just arrived at the hotel, I was about to call you!"

"It's fine, Miss Lockhart. Everything went well?" I asked as I put the speakerphone on.

"Yup. It was a safe trip. Cloud's bringing our bags in as we speak," she informed us.

"Mommy!" the twins exclaimed, leaning in closer to the phone. Their mother laughed and greeted them.

"You guys having fun with Kairi?"

"Yeah, and Roxas is here!"

"With his girlfriend!" Penelo added rather loudly. My coach laughed at her children's comments. "That's nice. I don't recall... nevermind. What'd you guys do today? And say 'hi' to Daddy!"

After screaming their heads off to greet their father, the kids told their parents all about today, which wasn't much at all. But of course, they could talk for ten minutes on how I slid down the slide. The five hour pool affair would need a day and a half before it was fully described by the kids.

The children soon dominated the conversation. Watching the family converse over the phone, my thoughts wandered to my own life. Would I ever have a family like this? Live in a house as beautiful as this one? Would I find the man of my dreams? I mean, I've never had a boyfriend, nor have I ever been kissed. Was this future a possibility for me? All this time I've been told how I would go pro in the tennis world, so I assumed that was what I wanted. But seeing this family, seeing how happy and loving they were… I wanted something like it. I actually came to realize that I wanted to get married and settle down some day.

I looked around at all the pictures. Vaan and Penelo were framed all over the place, proudly displayed by their parents. Maybe one day...

"Guys, I'm going to check up on Roxas and Naminé," I told the kids quietly. They nodded really fast before resuming their conversation. I made my way towards the kitchen. "How you guys holding…up…"

What I saw before me was unexpected and… inappropriate.

"Uh, heheh… hi Kairi…" Naminé giggled nervously. "This is not what it looks like…"

Okay. Don't make assumptions, Kairi. There's probably a reason why Naminé is _straddling_ Roxas and pinning his wrists to the floor. No, this is a perfectly normal situation. Maybe they slipped. Maybe Roxas was making a move on her, and she just pushed him and fell with him.

"So… what's going on? Should I leave the kitchen for a couple minutes?" I asked awkwardly. They made-up all right.

"No," Roxas blurted out from underneath Naminé, "I mean, let us explain!"

"I finished scooping out all the cookie dough, and I really wanted to eat the cookie dough left on the spoon, and I purposely left some on the spoon so I could have it, and, uh… Roxas took the spoon away, and he was going to eat the cookie dough, so I tried stopping him, but he wouldn't give it back to me, so I—"

"Pushed him to the floor so you could have your way with him?" I suggested and finished for her. That was quite the longwinded sentence.

"No!" she declared nervously, a blush obvious on her face; "I just… really wanted the cookie dough…" she finished lamely. I looked at Roxas, seeing if he had anything to say. Amazingly enough, the tennis team captain was blushing like crazy and avoided eye contact with me.

Whatever Roxas was holding was gently placed inside Namine's gaping mouth. Roxas let out a nervous laugh.

"Uh…" he started, "sorry for taking your cookie dough," he apologized. Naminé giggled, pulling the spoon out of her mouth.

"Sorry to interrupt your little moment, you guys," I turned around, about to head out to the living room. The kids were probably done talking. "But there are kids in the house. If they saw you two right now…"

The realization dawned on both of them as they noticed they were still in such a… compromising position. Naminé blushed profusely and kept apologizing as she helped Roxas up off the floor. He scratched the back of his head, the color of his face matching my best friend's.

"Don't forget the dishes!" I reminded. Those two are just waiting to happen…

"We weren't having a moment!"

Yeah, sure.

* * *

From the distance, the light of a single suite of Twilight Town's most prestigious hotel could be seen. The rooms, especially the suites, were renowned for their luxury, pizzazz, and comfort. Only the richest could stay in such a suite that was lit up that night. The twentieth floor seemed to showcase its occupants, as if boasting the fact that a certain couple graced the hotel with their presence that night.

Tifa hung up the phone as her husband came out of the bathroom. He had a towel placed over his unruly hair, hiding his face behind the white cloth.

"Aerith called. She told me that she says 'hi,'" she informed him. He nodded, pulling the towel away from his face. "Enjoy the shower?"

"Yeah. Not as great as it is at home, but it suffices." He threw his towel away and sat on the bed next to his wife. He seemed to remember something, as a small frown appeared on his face. "You know, speaking about Aerith and Zack… did you ever tell the babysitter about their kid?"

The martial artist's eyes widened at her blunder. "…Oops."

She looked to her husband, her face carrying a mortified expression. He fell backwards onto the bed and sighed.

"Great."

"You could've told her too, you know!"

"I forgot." He said, his hands sliding down his face.

She groaned in horror, "I didn't even remember to show her the basement! How could I forget that we had a freaking _basement?! _Why didn't you remind me? I even forgot that my friend's _son_ was downstairs all along?!_" _

"No idea. And I was told to empty the girl's car. You were the tour guide." He replied. A pregnant silence filled the suite.

Tifa broke the silence with a heavy sigh. "Well, I'll text her. It's pretty late over there… I sure hope nothing bad happens…" she flipped her phone open and cried, "How did I forget? She's going to freak if she sees a boy coming out of the basement…"

* * *

Roxas and Naminé left about two hours ago. After the kitchen debacle, I busied (making sure to keep them out of the kitchen, my goodness) the kids until the cookies were done.

And now I was enjoying my alone time in the beautiful bubble bath I made for myself in this tub. My, do I love technology these days.

"What an eventful first day…" I said to myself, making a ball of bubbles in my hands. So sue me, I still like playing in bubble baths.

I never knew a babysitting job could be so much fun. And of course, I never expected to see a celebrity, or to find my two friends about to do the dirty in the kitchen. Okay, so maybe that's a bit exaggerated. So they tell me.

I rested in the bathtub for a really long time, but I made sure I wasn't in long enough to get all wrinkly. Eventually I had to cut my time short; it was probably close to midnight now, and I had to get up early to bring the kids to a summer camp. I'll actually have the whole morning and most of the afternoon to myself! Seriously, this has to be the best job in the world.

I happily hopped out of the bath and immediately wrapped myself in a towel. I pulled the drain plug and left the bathroom, carrying my dirty clothes in one hand. My bag was situated in the guest room, so I turned off the lights as I left the bathroom and the master bedroom. One day, I was going to have a family like this one, live in a house like this one, and find a man that loves me for who I am.

I laughed at the thought shortly after. Me? Having a husband? I don't even have a boyfriend. I can't even _get_ a boyfriend. I'm sure others would find it just as funny as well. I'm the highest ranked female tennis player on Destiny Islands, and all my friends were guys, save my blond best friend. The other girls were just somehow connected to the guys I knew, and I didn't know them nearly as well as I knew Naminé. I was a tomboy to the teenagers of Destiny Islands. I probably scared all the guys away.

I know, I know. I have a pretty pathetic lovelife.

I stared at myself in the mirror that connected to my teacher's drawers. Honestly, I personally don't find anything eye-catching about me. I had zero curves, something Naminé was blessed with; my hair just fell to my shoulders, and my eyes weren't captivating at all. Not to mention I had a messed up tan from playing tennis all day. .

You know what? Suck it up, Kairi. This isn't me. I don't put myself down.

I lightly slapped both sides of my face. "Pull yourself together, girl!" I reprimanded. I took two deep breaths before I left the room.

And the most surprising and horrific thing happened. Yes, even more surprising than finding a celebrity opening the door to your teacher's house. And finding out that they were married… okay, so maybe _just as_ surprising.

My eyes met a pair of deep azure eyes as soon as I entered the hallway. There, right in front of me, was a boy with wet spiky hair clad in only a towel. And he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. His expression was probably a mirror image of mine: bewildered, surprised, and _embarrassed_.

So there's a half-naked boy, a stranger if I may add, looking back at me, who is also half-naked and extremely terrified that he's in the house. Did I tell you that I was terrified?

How do you let everyone know that there is a threat in the vicinity? I contemplated the choices I had racked up in my mind… hmm. Found one.

And screamed.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, everyone. Special thanks to **SilverClock, Electron Beam, **and** Wickedlyme** for reviewing! Also, big thanks to those who put this story on their favorites or alert list.


	3. Hot Chocolate

Chapter 3: Hot Chocolate

So I just finished a wonderful shower. That woman was chock-full of advice and recommendations. Honestly, the day couldn't get any better. This house was _the freaking bomb._ Tifa Lockhart, a friend of my mother's, actually let me stay here in Destiny Islands for the summer. And I get to live in her _basement._

Before you start making assumptions, you have to realize that the basement is _sick._ I'll definitely tell you more about it when I get there.

I made my way around in the dark… and I had no idea where I was going, quite frankly. I had been upstairs a total of… twice in my lifetime, and I didn't want to turn on the lights and risk waking up the kids. They're quite sour if you interrupt their sleepy-time. From what I knew, the babysitter was going to return in the morning and take the kids to camp. And then I'd have the whole house to myself! Life couldn't get any better.

So I continued wandering the hallway. I stubbed my toes on three different corners… well, maybe two, and I was still looking for the staircase. I'll just run my hand along the wall, and eventually, I'll get there, right?

And of course, something unexpected happened.

A light above me suddenly lit, and I watched in horror as the doorknob to one of the rooms slowly turned; I couldn't find the strength to move as the door opened. Behind the door was a girl.

A girl wearing only a towel. Holy crap.

Hi. You must be the babysitter.

So, what to do in this awkward position? I'm wearing a towel, she's wearing a towel, we're both kind of wet, we're staring at each other, she's about to scream…

The realization hit me fast, and thankfully fast enough for me to make a move. I immediately darted forward and clamped a hand over her readied mouth. Just in time to smother the banshee.

"Please don't scream! You'll wake the kids!" I pleaded with a whisper. A look of shock and surprise formed on her face, which was a chore to keep my eyes focused on, before it turned to one of horror and disbelief. I quickly loosened my hold on her, in hopes of communicating that I planned nothing of the sort that she was obviously thinking.

"Listen… I can explain _everything,_" I moved away from her, throwing my hands up in front of me just in case I'd need to defend myself. I wouldn't blame her if she felt the impulse to hit me "Just let me…"

"You're asking me to let a stranger wander the house that I'm babysitting in and be perfectly fine with it?" she hissed. Wow. Feisty one. "Who are you, what are you doing in this house, and why the hell are you _naked?_"

I think the vocalized thought made us realize our current position, as the hallway quickly adopted an awkward silence. If my face wasn't as red as her hair...hmm, then maybe my face fell off.

The silence that had dominated the air was soon broken by her scream. "Ew! You _pervert!"_ she quickly turned around, shielding her body from my eyes. I tried to calm her down, but she showed no intent of listening. In fact, she threw her clothes at me. "Stop looking at mff—"

I resorted to my earlier tactic and once again sealed her mouth with my hand. "Will you relax?" Dumb request, I know. "Can you just let me get changed and meet me downstairs? I promise I won't run. I promise. And I will explain everything. " I slowly removed my hand from her soft face… and uh, I again took a step back. She held the towel tightly to her body, her arms wrapped securely around her.

"F-fine…" she gave me a wary stare, looked me up and down, and… blushed.

She was totally checking me out.

She made eye contact and glared at me. So apparently she didn't approve. Darn. "You better not touch anything. I will call the police if I hear anything suspicious. G-got it?" she stuttered cutely at the end of her threat. I almost laughed, but the overriding atmosphere kept me at bay.

Nonetheless, a great feeling of relief swept through me. "Gotcha. I won't. Thanks for trusting m—"

"Who said I trust _you_?" she said venomously. Okay now. So much for that.

"Well then, uh, nevermind then…" I said awkwardly. "I'll just, uh… I'll, uh, go now…" I sheepishly walked by the feisty young woman and quickly clambered down the stairs. She watched me go down the whole way. Probably wanted to make sure I wasn't going to kidnap the kids.

Wow. Now that it was what I call eventful. The excitement never ends when you're in the house of a movie star. I mean, girls in towels walking out of random rooms? It doesn't get much better. I finally reached my temporary home, the relief finally sinking in.

I quickly made my way over to the basement door and opened it. I ran my hand along the wall until I found the light switch, and after flicking it on, I carefully climbed down the stairs. The one time I do decide to take a shower upstairs, I get the surprise of a lifetime. If you don't think it was surprising, well then you must live a more exciting life than this boy who lives in a basement. A basement that's packed with _awesomeness_.

I couldn't resist a smile as I looked around my temporary home. A huge T.V… it had to be at least sixty inches, high def, 1080i… an expensive-looking home entertainment system that I really didn't know how to use, and the best of it all, the video game systems. And loads of games. It was a gamer's dreamland here. Tifa went all-out when she found out I was staying. Anyway, the electronics are just the half of it.

I had my own refrigerator down here, packed with sodas and ice cream and everything else amazing. In fact, I almost had a kitchen down here. Why, a sink, a microwave, and a pantry. It almost constituted for a kitchen. And if you were to venture even further from the stairs, you'd find more things to use for entertainment. There was a pool table that I used quite often when I got here, and as far as I knew, it could convert into a ping pong table. Three guesses as to which one the lonely boy played.

Besides the entertainment, the basement was very comfortable. Tifa had a bed moved downstairs, and despite its small size, it was beyond soft and wonderfully comfortable. It was like sleeping on a cloud. Next to it where two bean bags, which I often dragged over to the T.V. when I played games. The whole place was designed to host parties, really. It was packed and ready to entertain guests, and it could certainly be comfortable for over ten people.

But of course, I didn't _know_ over ten people to party with. Oh, haha. Let's make fun of me now. But before you go off thinking I'm an antisocial hermit, understand the things I have at my disposal for personal entertainment. You'd be confined, and be perfectly fine with it, to your basement if you had one as awesome as this one.

Fine, well, maybe not. But I'm not antisocial. Believe me.

All the while, I had begun going through my suitcase in search of clean clothes. That feisty girl was probably waiting for me in the kitchen or something.

"Probably has a gun pointing at the door…" I said to myself. What? It's true. She looked freaked enough to do something that drastic. I mean, I would to… the only reason why I'm not is because I am cool and calm under any and every situation. I'm just that amazing.

I quickly grabbed a pair of clean boxers and shorts and threw them on. Remembering that she didn't approve my appearance earlier, I decided to grab a shirt as well. I hurriedly jumped up the basement stairs and entered the main floor. Looking over, I noticed the kitchen light was on. Guess that's the interrogation room. I quietly walked towards it, bracing myself for the conversation. I walked into the kitchen, expecting a cold glare from that redheaded bombshell.

And I was alone. How anticlimactic.

I ignored the urge to call out to her and instead sat at the table. Guess I was going to wait.

* * *

Tell me, how long does it take to get some clothes on? Seriously. I've been waiting here for a whole seven minutes, and she never came down. Did she forget about me? I don't mean to sound conceited, but I'm kind of hard to forget about. You know, strange boy in a towel walking around the house? Personally I find that unforgettable. Heck, I still remember what she looked like in a towel…

Whoa now, dirty thoughts. Forgive me for never ever seeing a girl in something less than a bikini. I was an innocent young man until today. Innocent in _almost_ every sense. I've never had a girlfriend, never really got close to someone of the opposite sex, and never found someone who I genuinely wanted to date. Sure, a couple girls have approached me before, but… I just don't see anything happening with those girls. I mean, what's the point of dating if you have no intention of taking it anywhere? Call it an old-fashioned way of thinking, if you want. But I just don't want to waste my time, money, and effort just to be heartbroken in the end.

Also, I don't understand the whole thing about dating anyway. Why was everyone so caught up with getting a boyfriend or girlfriend? What's wrong with being single? I mean, I'm happy. I don't need someone at my side twenty-four seven to keep my happy meter high or something. What's the big rush to find that special someone? It even carries over to marriage! Why are people, who are mostly women, I've noticed, so _desperate_ to get married or something?! Issuing ultimatums left and right, putting guys in tight spots… the dating world these days seems dangerous. And if you ask me, I'd prefer to watch— happily, if I may add— from the sidelines.

Enough of the dating monologue. I don't even know why I started. It's not like that hissy girl is someone I'd consider dating anyway. I merely wanted to share a small part of Sora with you all.

So I waited… and waited… and waited.

Really, that was at least nine minutes and forty seven seconds, _plus_ the time I had taken to get some clothes on. Girls put on underwear and shirts and shorts just like guys, right? Right? No? Oh… well… fine.

Disgusted with the delay, I decided to throw together a hot chocolate. It never failed to calm me down. Not to mention I was kind of in the mood for one anyway. It'd help me sleep later and keep the bogeyman away. I found the cupboard with mugs and poured milk into it, filling it to the brim.

"Now that won't do…" I reprimanded myself. Experience told me of displacement. The word meant nothing in science class. I sipped a good amount of milk from the mug before putting it in the microwave. I hesitated, stopping myself from pressing the button labeled "beverage". Should I make one for that girl upstairs? There were a few things to consider, after all. The upsides: it would waste more time waiting for her, and it would hopefully get me on her good side and make this explanation easier. The downsides: she might prefer her hot chocolate with water, she might think I'm trying to poison and or drug her, or she might use the scalding beverage as a weapon.

"Oh, what the hell, why not…" I muttered to myself. I pulled an identical mug from the cupboard and performed the same process, sans the milk-sipping. Don't think she'd appreciate that. I placed both mugs in the microwave and heated the milk, and afterwards I prepared the goods. Spoons, check; hot chocolate mix, check; marshmallows, check; whipped cream; check. With nothing else to do, I watched the timer count down.

I opened the door before the second beep could sound and took the warm mugs out of the microwave. I immediately stirred in the mix to both mugs. And if you've made as many hot chocolates as I have, you eventually learn how to stir without spilling… and if it isn't obvious already, I take great pride in my ability to stir without said spilling. I added the whipped cream as the mixture was still spinning, watching as the new addition followed suit. That will never cease to entertain me.

My personal entertainment was interrupted when I heard footsteps on the staircase, obviously climbing down because each step grow louder. I quickly added whipped cream into the girl's mug and quickly placed it on the table. I turned around and directed my attention to my own hot chocolate, making it so that she would see my back when she entered. Saves me the effort of saying the first words.

"What do you think you're doing?" an angry voice called from the entrance of the kitchen. Okay, maybe I should've been the first to speak. I would've said _"Hello, I made a hot chocolate for you while I waited. I wanted to wait and ask, but would you like marshmallows?"_

But that's the mind scenario, as I like to call it. And only ten percent of what I make in my mind actually happens. And thus, the world is a better place.

"I… I'm finishing my hot chocolate." What? You can never go wrong with the truth. I slowly turned to face her and took in the sight before me.

I admit, she was certainly attractive. Here, in the light and in sleeping clothes… she actually looked cute. She wore shorts… and they were short. Uh, okay, they were really short shorts, and I think they had a name. Ugh, forget it. She was wearing short shorts and a blue tank-top thingy. Girls had a bunch of special names for their clothes. I wish I could tell you, but hell if I know. Her hair was simply perfect. It fell to about her shoulders, dry, straight and crimson. So that's why she took a while. She blow-dried her hair. Besides the tennis racket tightly gripped in her hand, she looked quite approachable and… cute.

"Your hair looks really pretty," I blurted out without thinking. Oh shit. I might as well grab the shovel and dig my own grave now.

But to my surprise, she actually looked taken aback and blushed. She averted her gaze, eying the hot chocolate in my hand. And before I knew it, her glaring eyes bore into mine once again.

"Just what the hell are you trying to pull?" she approached cautiously. I casually sipped my drink, hoping that I didn't seem threatening.

"I… just want an opportunity to explain myself," I answered. "I made you a hot chocolate… I uh, didn't add marshmallows. But you can if… you… uh, want…" I trailed off at the end as her relentless glare held fast. Jeez, sorry for not adding the marshmallows…

"Are you trying to drug me or something?" she asked skeptically. Well, there's one downside come true.

"No! I wouldn't do such a thing, I swear!" I defended myself. "I'll even take a drink of it before you do to prove it!"

"First of all, who said I wanted your hot chocolate anyway?" Hmm, good point. "And second, if I were to, in fact, drink the hot chocolate, why would I let you put _your_ spit on it?"

Wow. Someone is far too bitter over the marshmallows.

"Uh…" I gave her an unsure look, and all that I managed to elicit was the constant glare. I let out an exasperated sigh. "You know what, fine. I made the hot chocolate to hopefully ease into my explanation. If I knew it would only result in…" I stopped before I said something stupid. Right now, this kind of girl would definitely be offended if I placed the blame on her. "…us… fighting."

"What the hell did you think this was? A date?" she asked venomously. I held a defeated look, hoping she'd understand that I meant no offense.

She suddenly moved forward, still clutching the tennis racket in her right hand. She picked up the mug of hot chocolate I had put on the table and took a tentative sip. I looked at her in surprise, and before I could do anything else, she commanded the flow of the situation.

"Sit." She ordered me, pointing with her racket at the table across from her.

What's with that tennis racket?

I quickly moved to sit across from her, careful to keep my distance. I settled into the seat and placed the mug before me, licking my lips. She sat across from me, setting her… weapon beside her. She sat up straight and ready, poised for defense against any sudden movement. I couldn't blame her for being so cynical.

She stared at me, either sizing me up or checking me out (it was probably the first one), and once again took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Explain yourself." She commanded. Yes ma'am. It was a step in the right direction, right? I cleared my throat and lightly gripped my mug, directing my gaze to her azure eyes.

"My name is Sora… I, uh, live in the basement," I said awkwardly. Her face twisted into a strange look, a weird combination of disgust and surprise. "No, no! Sorry. That's not what I meant to say!"

"You're just racking up the points here." She said threateningly. I gulped.

"My name's Sora. My mother, Dr. Aerith Gainsborough, is a close friend of Tifa Lockhart, who I'm sure you've met," I nodded my head, hoping to get a nod in return. Instead, she refused to acknowledge me. I continued, "I arrived here three days before today; Tifa had agreed to let me reside here for the summer. I, uh, wanted to spend my summer at the Islands. I lived here a long time ago, and I had friends that I wanted to meet up with again." I took a sip of my hot chocolate, allowing her to question in the interval.

"And you're staying in the basement? Not really making an effort to 'meet up' with these friends of yours."

Hey, if you saw how awesome the basement was, you'd stay there for a while too. "I've talked with one of them already. I'm hosting a party here…" I looked towards the clock. Past midnight. "Tomorrow."

Her eyes widened at the information. "You invited a bunch of people over to a house that's not your own, knowing full well that I, and the two _children_, would be here?"

"Uh… yeah… I was told I was allowed to…" I said slowly. It's not like we were going to get in your way. "How did you know that I know about you?" I asked curiously. She gave me a look (the angry, evil kind) and took out her cell phone. She pressed a few keys and sent the cell phone sliding across the table. I picked it up and read the text message.

_Kairi!_

Kairi. That's a pretty name.

_Im rly sry I didnt tell u, but my nephew Sora is staying there 4 the summer! Pls don't be scared if u c him. Hes harmless. Hes living in the basement, so he wont bother u. He already knows that a sitter is coming. Call 2moro if u have questions. -Tifa_

Who knew. Tifa Lockhart was text savvy.

"You're Miss Lockhart's nephew?" she took yet another sip of the hot chocolate I had prepared. That question was surprisingly not laced with poison. "I never thought she had such freaking perverts in her family, wandering the house naked knowing full well that there's a babysitter, which, I don't know, is probably a high schooler? Then again, it's not very common for high schoolers to seek babysitting jobs, huh?" she asked sarcastically (_that_ one was laced with poison). Holy hell. Someone's a little bitter. I couldn't help but cringe under her gaze.

"Please believe me when I say that I had no intention of finding you in such a position…" I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for the whole ordeal upstairs. I thought everyone was asleep, so I didn't bother bringing my clothes to change in the bathroom. Sorry for scaring you and…" I blushed at the memory. I can't exactly say "_Sorry for seeing you naked._" Much to my relief and complete surprise, she believed me. She fell back into her chair and released what seemed to be a held breath. She finally dropped the act. "Oh, and my mom and Tifa are close enough that we're practically family." I explained. "I knew Tifa since—"

"Forget it," she cut me off rather curtly. "The past is the past, and I didn't ask for your family history. Let's just… forget about everything that happened before. Let's go to sleep, and leave each other alone." I nodded in agreement. At this point, I was going to take whatever I could get. "I'm… also sorry for what happened. If I knew you were here, I wouldn't have walked around like that. That was not a smart move on my part. I paid for my carelessness, that's that. Just… don't walk around like that while I'm here."

"Yeah, definitely," I agreed.

"I really am sorry about the whole thing," she moved her mug in a circular motion, mixing the beverage again, "And sorry for being so hostile, I—"

This time I interrupted her, "No, it's okay, really," I waved it off with my hand, "it's completely understandable." I couldn't help but smile, relieved that I wasn't going to be castrated or knocked upside the head with a tennis racket. Oh look. I think her frown disappeared! That's progress. Now it's only the eyes that look at me disapprovingly!

"Yeah…" she stretched in her chair, and I couldn't tear my eyes off of her. Now that she isn't the cynical, glaring redhead, she was definitely very beautiful. I'd be surprised if she didn't have a boyfriend yet. I blushed as I entertained thoughts: thoughts of me being her boyfriend.

Whoa. Slow down, Sora.

Her voice, which seemed quite angelic compared to that venomous, seething tone she had used with me earlier, rang in my ears and tore me from my thoughts. "You're lucky your aunt got that text to me. I was going to call the cops as soon as I had access to my cell phone. She never mentioned you or the basement at all when she was showing me around. Aren't you glad she texted?"

Um, I would have preferred her telling you that I was here so we could have avoided this whole ordeal, but I guess the texting works too. Nevertheless, I couldn't find any voice at all to share that opinion. So I responded with a choked, "Uh-huh…"

She finally managed a smile, and albeit small, it was once again a step in the right direction. "Thanks for the hot chocolate, by the way. It's really good." She complimented. A grin, one that my friends had teased me about for being extremely cheesy, formed at the praise she had offered. So that's an upside come true. Score for Sora.

"Thanks…" not wanting the conversation to end, I searched my mind for something to talk about. How to extend my time with this strange girl? "Uh, so you like your hot chocolate with milk?" Wow. Let's talk about milk, Sora. Freaking smooth.

To my surprise she laughed. It was contagious, I could feel it; it just had that effect of either flirtation or… lightening the mood of the whole room. "Yeah. I don't like my hot chocolate with water. Too thin, you know?" she smiled and took another sip of the drink I had prepared for her. A small part of me was rejoicing that she actually enjoyed the simple product.

"I know exactly what you mean," I agreed with fervor, "I like the drink to be thick and creamy. Whipped cream, marshmallows, everything," I lowered the drink from my mouth. I was running out.

She giggled, once again seizing all of my attention. "Seems we have something in common, Stranger…" her toothy smile lessened to the point where her lips merely curved upwards. "Sora, right?" she asked me quietly. Her eyes slowly rose to meet mine.

"Yeah…" I said almost breathlessly. Pull yourself together, Sora!

"I'm Kairi. As strange as the first impression was… you know what, nevermind. If I said it was nice to meet you under those circumstances, I'd be lying." Wow. Way to be blunt.

"Uh…"

"But under these circumstances, over a cup of hot cocoa," she added, "I can genuinely say that it is indeed nice to meet you." She stuck her free hand out towards me. Surprise! Dreams really do come true. I took her soft hand in my own and shook it.

"Nice to meet you to, Kairi." I replied with a smile on my face. I took a final sip of my drink and placed the empty mug down on the table. Her fingers curled around the mug, grasping it lightly. Her eyes darted from the mug before her to the oven clock, which she then sighed about.

"Guess this ends our little meeting. Thanks again for the hot chocolate," she picked up the tennis racket that was leaning against her chair, "and uh, for the misunderstanding. I mean, not thanks for the misunderstanding, but the… resolution. We've established some ground rules, so, uh, follow them," That was the first time I saw her falter in her words. Quite the feat in my opinion, I was quite the bumbling idiot minutes before. "Maybe I'll see you around since we're in the same house for a week," she giggled. I still wore the smile I had on from earlier. I simply couldn't wipe it from my face.

"Yeah, same to you. See you around," I told her as she walked off. I sighed when I heard her ascend the stairs. Now that certainly went better than expected. I reached across the table and picked up her empty mug, taking it to the sink. "Kairi, huh?" I flicked the sink handle, rinsing the mugs and waiting for the water to get warmer. "Nice name."

* * *

I woke up with a start, and a poor pillow tasted dirt because of that. No, I didn't have a nightmare or anything. The events from the previous night just didn't seem real. Did I really make up with that girl? Kairi. That was her name. I looked around for a clock in the dark. If there's one thing bad about sleeping in a basement, it's losing track of time. The electronic clock read 8:34 AM. Well, that's not bad. I almost got seven hours of sleep.

I quickly made my way upstairs, hoping to cook myself some breakfast. Great, once again I find myself cooking to survive. What's a teenage boy supposed to do in this day and age?

The house was silent as I came out of the basement. I shrugged it off, knowing that the babysitter had a job to do. Time for breakfast, I suppose. I made my way to the kitchen, admiring how the light filtered into the room. Nothing like the early morning sunshine to start off the day.

"Hmm, what to cook, what to cook…" I searched the fridge for something sugary, or something that I could throw in the microwave. The fridge failed me. So I turned to the next best thing: the pantry. When in doubt, go with cereal.

And of course, cereal was there. I grabbed the box of sugary, frosted cereal and sighed in delight. I went back to the fridge and took out the cereal's companion.

"Hmm, I think I could use a hot chocolate this morning…" and why not? Hot chocolate is the best way to start the day. Coffee's for posers. If you want a real pick-me-up that actually tastes good, go with hot chocolate.

So I once again threw together a hot chocolate. As the milk was heating, I started on my bowl of cereal. I think I pretty much finished the bowl before the hot chocolate finished. That's record time, mind you.

This time, I went all out with the marshmallows. They all lined the walls of the mug, giving me an idea. I picked out two more marshmallows from the bag and carefully dropped them in.

"There we go!" I admired my work of art. The hot chocolate was smiling back at me! Remember what I said about a pick-me-up? Yeah, let's see coffee do that.

The sound of a frenzied doorknob stole my attention from my drink. The lock on the door was one, and in walked a frazzled looking Kairi. She was wearing jeans and a t shirt, along with white tennis shoes. She threw her car keys onto a nearby table with a huff.

Should I try to talk to her? She hasn't seen me yet, so maybe I should—

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed, her eyes finding me. What, do I look _that_ bad? "What are you doing here?!"

I thought we established that I lived in the basement. "I'm having breakfast." I answered immediately. She narrowed her eyes, and I thought I should prepare for another verbal beating.

"Well thank you for stating the obvious," she said angrily. Didn't she just ask me?

"I'm just trying to answer your question…" I added quietly. I really thought I made some progress last night. I wasn't about to lose it.

"I swear, I'm getting sick of all these little surprises…" Much to my surprise, she growled and went upstairs, stomping the whole way. I'm not gonna lie; she was rather cute just then.

"Wow… someone needs a pick-me-up…" I mentally noted to prepare a hot chocolate for her. Which I did as soon as possible.

Her hot chocolate was finished faster than I expected. Since she seemed rather… pissed off, I decided that she could use the smiling beverage as well. It was, after all, my specialty. I added some marshmallows, stirring it and waiting for them to line the walls, before adding the finishing touch.

"You really like hot chocolate, don't you?" a tired voice sounded from the living room. I looked up from my preparation and saw Kairi dressed in tennis gear. A white tennis shirt paired with a white tennis skirt. Once again, she looked quite attractive. Sporty, but attractive.

"Uh, actually, this one's for you," I picked up the mug, but lowered it again when she reached the kitchen. I gave her the drink and watched as she cracked a smile. When the marshmallows smile, you can't help but smile back! "You sounded like you needed a real pick-me-up. Nothing's better than a hot chocolate!" I explained.

"I guess I kind of did…" she said before drinking. Her eyes closed in satisfaction. Score for Sora. What am I at now? Two?

"I used milk, of course… and uh, added marshmallows. I call it a… um, Sora Special." You know, just in case you're blind and didn't notice yourself. And I actually made up that name two seconds ago.

Why do I fail so hard when it comes to making conversation with a girl?

I hope I didn't look as shocked as I felt when she laughed. "Yeah, I noticed… thanks," she told me, raising her mug. I raised my own before taking a drink. We drank in silence for a while, enjoying our beverages, until she spoke up. "I had quite the morning."

Maybe I should let her start all the conversations. "Oh yeah? Why don't you tell me about it?" I smiled, wiping my mouth with a paper towel. If there was one way to make friends, it was to listen to them talk. I certainly didn't want this girl on my bad side, and I certainly was good at playing the living diary. I was just relieved to hear that her hostility towards me this morning was because of previous events.

"Yeah, I better get my frustration out before the game anyway…" she trailed off. "Since you're the only person here, you're my shrink for now."

"The honor is mine, Miss Kairi," I drank more of my hot chocolate, my smile growing wider.

"Yeah, whatever. So it all started this morning, at seven this morning," she started. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned forward onto the counter. "The twins' camp… it's a… uh, a swimming camp at the downtown recreation center… anyway, it was going to start at eight, but they usually meet for a couple minutes before to prepare and whatnot."

"You had to wake up _that_ early?"

"Yeah!" she said incredulously, "and I found out that Vaan is _not_ the morning child." She said in a low voice.

"Give you trouble?"

"You don't know the half of it. The kid's an angel normally, but this morning he was just… wow!" her eyes widened at the memory. She shook her head before continuing. "So I basically tore him out of bed. He was quite adamant, but I got him out. Penny, all the while, was perfect. She got up instantly, she dressed really fast, and she waited quietly. I don't know if that was out of tiredness or not, but I wasn't complaining."

"Twins can be quite different, huh?" I sipped more hot chocolate, relishing the rich taste. I better slow down with the drinking. This conversation wasn't going to end any time soon. Or at least, I hoped so.

"Tell me about it. Anyway, Vaan wouldn't get dressed. So I grabbed the child and carried him to my car. I told him to change in car, hoping he would listen. And despite the twenty minute drive, which was _filled_ with his whining and arguing with Penny, to the rec center, all he managed to do was take his pants off."

I laughed at the thought. To me, this girl didn't look like she had the patience for such things. "So what'd you do? Couldn't take him in unless he was dressed and ready, right?"

"Ha. If he thought I was going to fold to that, he learned how mistaken he was," she said with satisfaction. I raised a brow, asking for an explanation. "I threw the tantrum-throwing child over my shoulder and brought him in. Yes, I had a good, perfectly dressed child holding my left hand, and on my right shoulder I'm carrying a screaming four year old. Vaan is a lot heavier than I thought," she added offhandedly, "but at that point, nothing was heavy. I was so beyond angry, and _so_ beyond embarrassment. It simply didn't matter."

"Wow. You had quite the morning."

"I know, I know…" she agreed, taking a long drink of the hot chocolate. "The receptionist gave me a weird look, of course. So on the way to the camp, I gave Vaan an ultimatum and said that I'd drag him in inside, and he'd be swimming around in his underwear. On top of that, I'd call his dad. He submitted after his swimming teacher came out to talk with him. She used the whole 'do you want to use floaties all your life' speech and the 'all the other boys might laugh at you for using floaties' one too. That got him going…"

"Children, huh?"

She laughed. There it was again. "Ugh, I've been rambling to a stranger about my terrible morning. Sorry, I—" Her cell phone began to ring, playing a familiar tune. Was that a Final Fantasy tune? "Hey, you ready?... Oh… oh! You're outside already?" she turned around, looking in the direction of the door, "I'll be out in a sec. Let me get my things together… okay. Yeah, see ya."

"Friend of yours?" I asked as soon as she flipped her phone closed. She nodded before downing what was left of her drink.

"Going out to play some tennis with him. You'll have the whole house to yourself!" she smiled, tucking stray strands of her hair behind her ear. "Well, don't burn the house down, I guess. Thanks for the hot chocolate; it really brought me back up. You called it a Sora Special?"

I smiled and nodded, rooted in my place. "Yeah, that's right. And no problem. Well… see you around." It almost sounded like a question.

"Yeah!" she picked up her tennis bag and opened the door. "Oh, hey!" she called out to me. I still hadn't moved.

"What is it?"

"You should go out and look for your friends. It's really nice today," she seemed to prove it when she stepped out onto the foyer, the sunlight highlighting her features. "Don't stay cooped up in the basement forever!"

The door closed, cutting my line of sight. She locked the door with her key, and with the slam of the foyer door, the house was silent once again.

I took the mugs we had used and placed them in the sink. I didn't feel like washing them right now.

I slowly made my way back to the basement, considering the words she had spoken before she left.

Maybe I'll go out today.

* * *

Big thanks to **Electron Beam **and **SilverClock** for their continued support and input! Also, thanks to **SecretAgent99** and **ShadowSpooky** (both!), and **xXKingdomxXHeartsxXGirl** for their reviews as well!Of course, thank you very much to those who added this story to their Favorites or Alerts!


	4. The Day Out

Chapter 4: The Day Out

I stared at the card Tifa gave me on the first day I arrived here. If I ever left the house, I'd actually go to this place. 7th Heaven, huh? Sounds decent enough.

I sighed and put the controller down. I think I just wasted another morning playing video games. I got up from the couch and turned the television off. I decided to grab a drink, so I went to my basement-exclusive refrigerator.

Wow. It feels really good to say that. Rolls off the tongue.

I opened the door, wondering what I'd drink this time around. I searched for a cherry-flavored soft drink, shifting other flavors aside. I finally found one in the back, next to my cell phone.

Wait, what?

"My cell phone! I was wondering where that was!" I exclaimed happily. I excitedly pulled both my phone and the last cherry soda from the fridge and closed it. Huh. The phone still had two bars of battery life left. I smiled. Losing my connection with my friends here was hell. I'm surprised my phone survived two days in the fridge.

In search of a signal, I began to head to the main floor. Halfway up the stairs, my phone started vibrating crazily. I stared at it, wondering what was wrong.

Turns out I had missed calls, text messages, and voicemail messages. Guess there's no signal whatsoever in the fridge. I waited until I got on the ground floor of the house before opening my phone.

I admit that I was quite excited to find that people had contacted me. I hurriedly checked my text messages…

Oh. How nice. Two text messages. One from my best friend Riku and one from Tifa. Both of them were sent yesterday.

Well, that was a letdown.

I opened both of the messages, scanning the content. Tifa of course told me about Kairi. A little late there, but all is well; Riku left quite the friendly message.

_I don't know why you're ignoring me. Whatever dude, I'm still bringing the party two days from now. Be ready, you douche._

Why thank you, Sunshine! You always knew how to brighten my day.

Well, that ended on a friendly note, but that's just Riku's way of saying "I'm glad you're back. Get ready to party." Behind that bravado and language, he was my best friend. I had no complaints.

I moved on to check the missed calls. Ha, I had seven missed calls. Someone popular is on Destiny Islands, and his name is _Sora._

Or not. Six of the missed calls were from the same person (Riku, which explains the jokingly-angry text) and one from Roxas, another close friend of mine. Gotta love familial links and your parents' coteries. Yet again, the calls were made yesterday. Well, that was unexciting. I didn't bother raising my hopes for the voicemail messages; as expected, I only had one.

"Ugh, whatever…" I walked into the living room, turning the T.V. on. It opened up at the news at noon. It was just starting. Hmm. So I really did waste my morning playing video games.

I continued watching the news, noticing that most of the reported stories were about other islands. Crime rate on this particular island was low, I guess. The only thing that was truly local was the weather, which came on shortly after a story on an imminent meteor shower. The meteorologist kept going on about sailing weather. After thirty seconds of listening to the report on wave height and rip currents, I checked my phone again. Might as well check that voicemail, right?

I listened in on the only message left for me _"you have,_" there was that millisecond-long automated pause, "_one message. First unheard message:_

_Hey man! It's Roxas. Heard you were in town. Where you staying? Riku told me about a party that he's throwing for you, but let's meet up before then. Call me back, and don't text! It's not unlimited, and I have far more important people to waste those texts on!"_ he joked. Let's reinforce the fact that I'm on the low priority list. "_Ah, just kidding. But really. Call me back, all right? Later! - End of message. To delete, press—"_

I deleted the message and ended the call. Seeing as how I had nothing better else to do, I decided to take up Roxas's offer. I found his name and pressed the call button. It wasn't long until he picked up.

"Sora? Is this really you?" he answered skeptically. No, it's the muffin man calling to tell you that you won the lottery.

"Yup! You told me to call you back," I reminded. "Or is this Ven? I doubt I'd be able to tell you apart now."

"I didn't think you would listen!" he laughed, "And yes, it's really Roxas. So what's up? You in the area?"

"If _Destiny Islands_ is 'in the area,' then yes, I am!" Was the weatherman seriously still talking? I guess you get more air time when there's no crime to report.

"Sweet! Where are you staying? A hotel or something?"

"Actually, no. I'm staying at your aunt's house. Got here a couple days ago," I explained. He went silent for a moment.

"Sora!" he yelled into the phone, "What the hell is your problem? I was at my aunt's yesterday!"

I sat up, his words capturing my attention. "No way. Tifa's house?"

"Um, yeah! As if I had a different aunt here on the Islands. Why didn't you pick up your phone?!"

You see, my phone was mentally preparing itself for its expedition to map the arctic regions of Christmas Town. "I, uh, kind of lost it…"

"Ugh, of course you did. Least you found it. Where was it?"

"…In the refrigerator…" I mumbled.

"What was that?" he asked in a teasing tone. He heard me the first time.

"It was in the refrigerator," I told him, embarrassed. He laughed for a good amount of time.

"Ah, you never cease to entertain me, Sora." He sounded a bit belittling just then. "All right, I'll stop. Got any plans for today?"

"Not really… I'm sure I got an opening in my schedule," you know, that schedule _filled_ with appointments and dates and parties.

"Good. I want you to meet me at a restaurant called _7__th__ Heaven._ My aunt—"

"Owns it, right?"

"Yeah. Guess she told you. Anyway, meet us there in an hour for lunch, okay? I'm gonna finish up this tennis match with a friend of mine, then we'll head over."

"That works," I nodded to myself, "will Ven be there?"

"Nah, he's out with his girlfriend right now. He's whipped."

I laughed. Good for Ven! "I see. Well, guess I'll see you there, right?"

"Yeah. You know where it is, right?"

"Do you know who you're talking to? The Great Sora never gets lost. Don't be ridiculous," It's true. I never get lost.

He had the audacity to laugh at me. "Okay then. See you there."

"Yeah." I smiled and hung up the phone. So now I had a reason to get out of the house. Whoever invented the cell phone was a genius. Anyway, I had to get ready for lunch. The ride down the mountain took at least ten minutes, and I have no idea how congested traffic was around this time, especially in downtown. It'd probably be crowded since it was lunch hour. I got up from the couch, making my way towards the T.V.

"_You can expect to see rainfall, downpours even, within two days coming with the low pressure fr—"_

I turned off the T.V., ending the weatherman's report. "They sure gave you a lot of time to talk…"

* * *

I thought I looked presentable. I grabbed the first set of cargo pants and t-shirt I could find. I looked like I did every day, the normal Sora. Untamed hair, same blue eyes, and can't forget the crown necklace. That was a keepsake.

I grabbed some white sneakers and ran up the stairs. I had at least forty-five minutes before the assigned lunch hour, but I was just so… excited. It was good to get out again. I made sure the doors to the house were locked before making my way to the garage. There, I opened up a cabinet with all the car keys. I found the one I was looking for and opened the garage.

The light seemed to crawl slowly inside as the door lifted. Sitting in the driveway was _the baby_. Of course, it had a car cover on. Now, now. We can't have that on all day, right? I carefully removed the cover, unceremoniously threw it into the garage, and admired the unwrapped product. Shiny wheels, tires as clean and black as they were when they were bought. Black paintjob, untarnished body. Two seater, red leather. Oh yeah. Cloud's convertible. Hardtop convertible, if I may add.

"Why hello there…" I walked closer to the car, admiring the exterior. "Care for a spin?" I pressed a button on the digital key, watching the lights flicker on and off. "I take that as a yes." I walked to the door, finding a sticky note on the window.

"_Don't even think about it."_

I followed its advice and completely ignored any feeling or pressure that told me not to take the car out. So apparently Cloud Strife was also filled with good advice.

I took the note off the door and pulled it… up. Hmm. I hadn't known about the scissor doors. That was unexpected. I excitedly hopped in the car, which despite being under a cover all day, was still pretty hot. I left the door open until I started the car. I lightly pressed the gas pedal and heard the car rumble. Oh yeah. Definitely V8, most likely higher. I brought the door down and opened the side windows. I looked around the car, hypnotized by the sleek interior. Wow. I adjusted my seat and mirrors, making sure they were accustomed to _me._ I looked at the roof, and then a switch on the panel between the driver and passenger's seat.

"Let's bring you down, shall we?" I tilted the knob backwards, waiting, looking behind me to watch. The trunk, or at least I think it was the trunk, folded backwards. The roof soon folded and followed suit. Finishing the process, the trunk was restored in its place. I looked to the electronic window on the dashboard: _retractable roof operation complete_.

Oh hell yeah.

I carefully backed the car out of the driveway, closing the garage when I reached the end. I shifted the car into drive when I noticed something was missing.

"It just doesn't feel right…" I looked around, wondering what the problem was. The answer was above me. It was actually beating down quite brightly.

Of course. Sunglasses.

I searched the pocket of the door, finding a glasses case. Opening it up, I pulled out a pair of designer brand shades. Heheh. Sora was riding in style today. I put the glasses on (a perfect fit, mind you. It was made for me) and took my foot off the break.

Off to _7__th__ Heaven_.

* * *

I didn't get lost. I was on the right road; I just… took a wrong turn. I knew exactly where I was. Yeah. Definitely.

I reached the downtown area seven minutes ago, and I decided to… cruise around for a bit. I had ten minutes before the assigned time anyway. I was just driving in circles. You know, mapping out downtown in my head, just in case I'd need it later. I passed the same art store I had when I first reached downtown. I guess I pretty much circled the whole area. I drove on, slower than I had before.

At last, I… I mean, I reached the restaurant I had been searching for. Well, not searching for. I knew where it was, just intentionally avoided it. I found a parking spot underneath the shade of multiple palm trees (tropical trees fail at doing what's needed most, if you ask me) and pulled in. After putting the vehicle in park, I watched as the roof was set in place. My gosh. I will never get tired of that.

I opened the door, stepping out into the beautiful Destiny Island weather. I made sure I had my wallet and phone before locking the door. I walked to the door of the restaurant, looking around. The placement could have been better, but maybe that was on purpose; had I driven straight to the restaurant (which I purposely avoided, because you know, I wasn't lost or anything), it would be the quickest drive from downtown to the mountain road. Easily accessible for the owners and still in the downtown area: it was perfect for quick visits.

I sat on the bench just outside the restaurant. By the looks of the parking lot, the restaurant wasn't too full. I could see a couple open tables from where I was sitting too. I turned around, watching the cars slowly pass by. Maybe Roxas would pass by soon. The scheduled lunch meet was in five minutes anyway. I sat back and closed my eyes, thinking about the imminent meal. There better be some good food. I was in the mood for a cheeseburger. A really, really big cheeseburger. Yeah. That would make my day…

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?" a soft feminine voice broke me out of my reverie. Standing before me was a girl with blond hair and blue eyes with a questioning look on her face. She dressed for the weather, donning a simple white dress and one inch heels. She looked rather nice.

"Oh, uh, no! You can sit there if you need to," I replied.

"Thanks," She smiled before taking a seat on the opposite side of the bench. I directed my gaze to the streets, trying to be casual. The girl looked very familiar…

"So what brings you out here? From the looks of it, there's a lot of room in the restaurant," I casually asked, once again turning to her.

"I'm waiting for some friends," she placed her folded hands in her lap. "So I decided to wait outside. The weather is really nice anyway."

"Yeah. It is." I agreed, putting my hands behind my head. We sat in silence for a while. That feeling… the one where your gut is telling you that you know the person beside you, was eating away at me. I finally succumbed. It doesn't hurt to ask, right? Worse possible outcome is that I end up wrong and embarrassed. No big deal. "I'm sorry… but I just can't shake the feeling that I know you, or at least that I've met you before," I told the blonde beside me. She looked at me curiously and smiled.

"Strange. I actually felt the same!" she laughed, crossing her legs and wrapping her hands around them. "What's your name? That might help."

"I'm Sora," I said, sticking out my hand for a shake. She looked at me for a few seconds and smiled widely. She took my hand and gave it a light shake.

"So that's why…" she said more to herself. "I remember you, Sora. Do you remember anyone by the name of Naminé?" she asked me with a grin on her face.

Where had I heard that name before? Think, Sora! "I… I think so…"

"Think about your childhood… Twilight Town, to be exact."

My eyes widened as I went through my memories of my current hometown. Roxas was my neighbor back then… whoa. There was a girl that Roxas was _always_ with. Those two were inseparable. I played with them a lot… It couldn't be… "Naminé?!" I asked in disbelief, "like, 'Roxas and Naminé' Naminé?!"

She laughed, leaning back into the bench as she did so. "Seems to me like you remembered!" she congratulated. "And yes, I'm the one and only. Interesting way of remembering me!"

I laughed, grinning my face off. I can't believe I met up with her in a place like this! It's been years! "Yeah! You and Roxas were always together!" I smiled at the memories before a realization hit me. "Wait a second… are you waiting for Roxas too?"

She nodded, stretching her arms in front of her. "Yup! He's coming with my best friend."

I smiled and sat back. "Seems like nothing has changed between you and Roxas…" I teased. She blushed and looked away, but she was still smiling widely. "Hey! Don't tell me… are you two dating?"

"Sora! Naminé!" a voice cut through our conversation, and both of our heads turned in the direction of the parking lot. There was Roxas, stepping out of a silver car. He ran up to us, stopping on my side of the bench. I stood up from the bench and gave him a fist pound. Darn. So he was still a little taller than me. "Didn't think I would find you two together," he said, giving me a funny look.

Naminé got up as well and stepped closer to her other half. Eleven years and nothing has changed. "Yeah. We were just catching up. Who knew we'd all meet again here, huh?"

I nodded, putting my hands behind my head. Roxas was still giving me a weird look.

"Something wrong?" I asked him. I hope he didn't think I was moving in on his girl. From my point of view, she was off-limits and his since day one.

"Don't know… nice shades, by the way…" he said offhandedly. Oh. I forgot to take them off. "They look a lot like my uncle's…"

"That's because they are," I informed him, removing it from my face. He smiled, shaking his head.

"Man, no wonder why…" he turned to Naminé, who was looking at me. "You haven't been waiting long, have you?" Aww. Look at little Roxas, all concerned for his girlfriend. Oh, the memories of my childhood…

"I just got here. Plus, Sora was here to keep me company. Where's Kairi?" she asked her blond companion. Wait, what? Kairi?

As if on cue, the redhead came into view. She stepped out of the car, her back facing us. She was wearing the same exact thing she left the house in. She grabbed her purse and tucked her cell phone in between her head and shoulder, maintaining her conversation. I watched as she—

"You know Sora, staring is considered rude," Roxas's smirking face came between my line of sight and the topic at hand.

"Shut up, Roxas. And I wasn't staring!" I defended. Sheesh. Can't a person observe events for the sake of narration? People these days.

Kairi's voice got within hearing range, "…yeah, I will. Love you too, Mom. Bye." She closed her phone and looked up at the group. Her eyes met mine, and a look of surprise spread about her face.

Hmm. I bet she didn't expect to see me out. Especially with her friends. Well, they were my friends too, but… yeah. "Um… hey there, Kairi," I greeted awkwardly.

"Hey Sora," she greeted, just as surprised as I was. "I honestly didn't think I'd see you here. Well, not like I didn't want to, just… you know."

"Oh, so you guys really have met already." Roxas interrupted our conversation, a knowing smile on his face. "Why don't we save the talk for later and head inside? I'm starving. And I bet Kairi's pretty thirsty. She was all over the place today!" his teasing tone elicited a light smack from the redhead.

"Whatever. You got lucky this time around," she huffed, crossing her arms. He laughed in response and led us to the entrance.

"Luck. I'm sure it was, Kairi." He held open the door, "ladies first."

"Such a gentleman," Naminé teased, lightly smacking his cheeks. Kairi laughed and followed her in. He gave me an expecting look, practically ordering me to walk inside.

"Thanks," I mumbled as I passed. The restaurant we had entered was mostly lit by the open windows. Otherwise, it was a pretty dark area. We went to the usher's stand and waited. A boy, definitely younger than us, ran from the room labeled "employees only" and sat at the stool behind the stand.

"Hey, welcome to _7__th__ Heaven_!" he said, brushing hair out of his face. "How many… oh. Roxas, didn't see you there." I turned around in time to see Roxas nod in acknowledgement. "Go ahead and sit wherever you want, I'll send the waiter over to take your order," he told us with a light smile on his face. Roxas gave him a quick word of thanks and led us to a spot near the window. He waited for the girls to pick out seats, and after they settled across from each other, he took the spot right next to Naminé. Of course. I took the only available chair left at the table.

"So, I see you two know each other," Roxas began. "How'd you two meet?"

Well Roxas, it all began with a wonderful shower. Then, we found each other naked in the hallway. And then we had a late night heart-to-heart over some hot chocolate. Did I mention we found each other naked? Sounds ridiculous, right?

"Oh, I met Sora when I arrived at Miss Lockhart's house yesterday," Kairi said casually. Hmm. So Kairi would prefer not to tell him that. Can't blame her. "How do you guys know him?" she obviously tried to get off the subject of our meeting.

"Kairi! How come you didn't tell us about Sora? He could have played with us!" her tennis companion blatantly ignored the question. Persistent, aren't we?

"Oh, he was doing something in the basement. Right, Sora?" she turned to me with a pleading look.

"Yeah, I was playing video games. I mean, have you seen your aunt's basement? It's heaven on earth." Hmm. I thought I did a good job. It was the truth, after all. I turned to Kairi, who had a relieved smile on her face. I grinned in return.

"Aww. You picked video games over hanging out with us?"

"I didn't know you were here," I retorted.

"And I would've told him that Naminé, and apparently _you_, were coming." Kairi jumped in and added, "That is, had I known you knew Sora." I looked at her in surprise. We made a great lying team. Quite awesome. Roxas even looked like he was at a loss for words. I ignored the urge to stand up and scream "high five!" to Kairi.

"Hey guys! Hope you didn't wait long…" Yeah. That discussion officially ended in our favor. The waiter appearing was just the last ring of the victory bell. I directed my attention towards our waiter, "… so can I start you guys off with a drink?"

We ordered our drinks, sending the waiter off. I took the time to look at the menu; it seemed I would be the only one to bother. I only offered half of my concentration to the menu, directing the other toward the conversation at hand.

"So Roxas, you never explained how you and Naminé know Sora. I, for one, find it quite ironic that my two best friends know the kid I met last— sorry, yesterday."

Her error went unnoticed. Naminé took over the explanation.

"You know how we moved here from Twilight Town, right?" Kairi nodded, which in effect gave Naminé permission to continue. "Well, before we met you, we knew Sora. He was pretty much the equivalent." She looked at Roxas and jerked her thumb in his direction. "Only he and Sora were buddy-buddy," she teased.

"Heck yeah. An unbreakable camaraderie since birth," Roxas added with a laugh. I smiled.

"What about Ven?" Kairi questioned, "Did he hang out with you guys a lot?" The waiter returned with our drinks, interrupting our conversation. The others quickly ordered their food, and apparently whatever they stated was on the menu. They probably came here often. As for me, I ordered my much desired cheeseburger. Sweet. He quickly collected our menus and set off for the kitchen.

"Ven was such a troublemaker growing up," Roxas continued our childhood history, "My parents had to keep a close eye on him. Do you know how much trouble I was sucked into for being his twin? Immeasurable. Don't bother asking."

Kairi giggled, "I can see that happening, I guess…" the table fell silent after the conversation. I looked at each individual: Roxas and Naminé were shooting fleeting glances at each other every now and then; Kairi was fiddling with her cell phone. For a brief second, her eyes met mine; I immediately broke eye contact.

"Hmm… that's strange…" Roxas said thoughtfully. I looked up to see him staring outside the window. All of us looked in the same direction. "What're the news teams doing here? Wait a second, those look like… are those the guys from the celebrity gossip shows?"

"Did something happen in the restaurant?" Kairi rose slightly from her chair and craned her neck. "I don't see anything…"

As soon as the words left her mouth, a mob of cameramen and news reporters burst through the door. Ah, tabloid journalists and the paparazzi.

"Sora," Roxas stood up and kept his eyes trained on the new crowd, "what car did you take?"

"Um… your uncle's convertible. Why?" I never got an answer. Roxas began to make his way toward the group of journalists, who were screaming for the manager. I got up and followed him, giving Kairi and Naminé a reassuring glance. I got to the entrance just in time to see Roxas sending off the young boy who directed us earlier.

"Denzel, get Cid," he gave the boy a light push in the direction of the door labeled _employees only_. He turned to the bustling crowd, "Excuse me—"

"Are you the manager?"

"Where's the manager? We didn't ask to talk to a kid!"

"There have been reports of Cloud Strife cruising around downtown! Have you seen him?"

"Everyone, quiet down!" Roxas tried to calm the crowds. His voice was outmatched by the numerous adults who deemed the word of a teenager irrelevant.

"We want to speak with the manager! The car was last seen in this area! Do you know anything about it?!"

"Hey!" a gruff, masculine voice growled from the side, "what the hell are ya doin' in my restaurant?!" The muscular man quickly walked towards the group, who immediately fell silent. Roxas quickly turned to me and whispered harshly.

"Give me the keys. Now." I immediately complied. He slipped the keys into his pocket.

"There have been eye-witness accounts of Cloud Strife's black convertible cruising around downtown. The car was reportedly last seen in this area. We've spoken with the store across the street, and the owner says he knows nothing." Hmm. So maybe I shouldn't have driven around.

"So why the hell do you assume I would?" the man, who I assumed was Cid, asked the group. "I spend my days in the kitchen and my office. I only come out to check when it's busy," he looked around the restaurant, "do you think a celebrity like Cloud Strife would want to eat here?"

A woman in a pink polo and jeans stepped up to speak, "That's exactly why a place like this would be perfect!"

Cid seemed to mumble under his breath, saying something along the lines of "what do you mean 'a place like this'…"

The woman continued, "It's a place where no one would expect to find him." Well, aren't you just a little detective. Cid looked at the individuals of the crowd, then me, and then Roxas. There was a second-long stare before Cid spoke up.

"Roxas, get the other reporters waiting outside," Roxas followed the order without a question, "Denzel! Inform all the waiters and waitresses to close every window and lock every door. Turn every light in this restaurant on, too." Denzel ran off to inform the unseen servicemen. He watched as the rest of the tabloid reporters who decided to wait outside filed in. I didn't see Roxas return.

"Sir, if you're planning to—" a journalist started.

"Attention, customers of _7__th__ Heaven!_" Cid yelled. Those in his immediate vicinity cringed under his loud voice. "These people here have informed me that Cloud Strife… yes, that'd be the movie star," a few gasps were heard as multiple customers began whispering to each other, "has been in the downtown area! Now, they have reason to suspect that Cloud Strife is in this very establishment!" the customers were now in an uproar. The reporters looked at each other, smiling. "I've locked down the building, my dear customers, to make our celebrity hunt easier!"

The reporters and the customers chatted excitedly to one another. I heard the name "Cloud Strife" said over twelve times in the last three seconds. "Now, this may be a fire hazard and all, so we only have, at most, three minutes." He turned to the reporters, "Well? What are ya standin' around for? You have my permission to search. Get goin'! I'm kickin' you out in three minutes!"

Nobody wasted any more time as they dispersed to search the restaurant. A few customers even got up to join the search. The manager smirked before talking to himself, "How in the world does he manage to cause me such trouble when he's away on vacation? What a nutjob…" He seemed to know where Cloud Strife really was. I didn't have the courage to tell him that I was most likely the cause for this whole ordeal.

* * *

The reporters' search for the elusive Cloud Strife ended in expected failure. He was, after all, in a different town. But that was a tidbit only a select few knew about. The reporters left as soon as they discovered that he wasn't in the vicinity, allowing Cid to reopen the windows and doors. Roxas returned shortly after, casually sitting at the table. Surprisingly, Kairi and Naminé continued their affairs as if the whole ordeal hadn't occurred.

"You're lucky you parked in such an inconspicuous spot," Roxas told me, tossing the keys back. What the hell does that mean? "I mean, I didn't even notice it when I pulled in. It wasn't too hard to move the car into the garage, either." He told me. Um, okay. Everything spurting out of your mouth right now has no significance to me whatsoever. Well, wait, I got the part where you said I chose a good parking spot.

"What are you talking about?" he looked at me, noticed I was confused, and laughed.

"Oh. You didn't know. Well, Cid has a garage… a secret garage, behind the restaurant. When Cloud came down here, he'd always park there. Unlike you, he always got by unnoticed. What the hell did you do to gain so much attention?"

"If I knew what would happen, I wouldn't have cruised around…" I looked at the ground. Damn. So I probably was the cause for all this.

"Were you cruising around, or were you lost?" he smirked. By this time, Kairi and Naminé were listening intently to our conversation.

"I wasn't lost! I just… drove around…"

"Fine, so you weren't lost, "Roxas backed off. "How long did you drive around?"

"Probably… almost ten minutes." Roxas whistled.

"Yeah, nine minutes of too much exposure… excuse me ladies, Sora and I have someone to talk to,"

"The food will probably be back by the time you get here. We'll wait for you before starting." Naminé looked at Roxas, and then to me. We both nodded before Roxas began walking away. I followed him closely, passing through the door that separated employees and customers. He led me to an office and walked in first.

"…It was your car… of course it's something I can handle! What do you mean 'are you sure'? Do you know who I am? This stuff is child's play! No, you don't have anythin' to worry about. I don't really have to censor anythin'; all these damn eyewitness accounts are wrong anyway. Fuckin' ridiculous, it's clearly a kid. They'll lose a lot of credibility once I'm through with 'em. Yeah, yeah. Bye." Cid hanged up the phone and sighed. I don't think he noticed us yet, "Psh, am I sure… of course I'm sure! I've been doin' this shit for years…"

"Cid," Roxas spoke up. The man turned to us in surprise, "Sorry about that whole thing. I moved the car to the garage anyway. You meet the culprit?" Roxas pointed his thumb at me. Wow. Did you seriously drag me all the way here to throw me under the bus, Roxas?

"Yeah. Saw him already," he pointed to the computer screen. There I was, grinning like an idiot behind the wheel of the convertible. Wow, talk about riding in style.

Wait, was that a traffic cam?

"Sora, don't you have something to say?" Roxas asked with a suggestive tone. Oh, right. So that's why you led me here.

"Um, I'm really sorry about the whole car thing! I didn't—"

"Don't sweat it, kid," the manager interrupted. "This stuff is easy to deal with anyway. Luck was on your side today. The only real thing I have to change is the license plate," he said, pointing to a new picture on the screen. The Destiny Islands license plate read, "_FENRIR."_

"Oh… uh, thanks…" So, what the hell is this guy talking about? And why does he have access to the traffic cams? Cid looked at me and laughed.

"I take he doesn't know my true occupation?" he turned to Roxas, who offered a smile and a shaking head. "Well, that's fine. Don't tell anyone about what you've seen and heard here, and I'll make sure even Cloud forgets this whole ordeal. Do we got a deal, kid? What was it…? Sora, right?"

I nodded and gulped. Roxas placed his hand on my shoulder and turned me around. So he realized that I didn't want to be there. About time.

"The food's probably out by now. Catch ya later, Cid!"

"Yeah, yeah! Teenagers these days, always causing a commotion…"

* * *

"That didn't take long." Kairi noted when we returned. Naminé sipped her water and looked at Roxas and me. Just as she had predicted, the food was there waiting for us. Oh, my cheeseburger…

"All Sora had to do was apologize." He stuffed a handful of fries into his mouth, "Wow. I've been waiting to do that all day…" So I wasn't the only one hungry.

The lunch continued without much talk, probably because Roxas and I were stuffing our faces. Naminé and Kairi were having their own conversation anyway. I finished before Roxas, wiping my mouth with the nearest napkin. That was a wonderful cheeseburger, mind you.

"Oh, Kairi!" Naminé suddenly placed her drink on the table as if she remembered something, "who won the games this time?" They were probably talking about the tennis match.

"Wot do you mean thif time?" Roxas said with a full mouth. I think he was trying to brag. His smothered words were ignored.

"We played three, three-set matches. I won the second one."

"And I won the first and third," Roxas said proudly. Naminé acknowledged him, seeing that he had indeed swallowed his food.

"He got lucky. The first match was a tie break for match point. I was on a serious comeback!" Kairi pouted. I smiled. She looked like a little kid.

"So the one who picked you up this morning was Roxas?" I asked absentmindedly. Oh. Did I ask that out loud? That was such an obvious question…

"Yeah. We always play in the mornings. It gets way too hot in the afternoons," Kairi explained.

"You should see those two play. It gets so competitive, it's like watching a match on T.V.," Naminé laughed as she played with her straw, "Did you know that both Roxas and Kairi are the number one tennis players on Destiny Islands? Roxas for boys and Kairi for girls, of course!"

Wow. I figured Kairi was sporty, but I never would have that she was one for serious play. "Wow. I have to say, I'm impressed. By both of you."

"Thanks," Kairi flashed me a smile. I had to pry my eyes away from her, so I focused on Roxas.

"Yeah, our tennis team pretty much dominates. How can you go wrong with me as captain?" Naminé placed her hand over Roxas's mouth.

"We don't need to hear you bragging… ah!" she jerked away from him, her hands flying to her sides. "Roxas, don't you dare!"

He persisted, eventually prying her hands from her sides and tickling her. I couldn't help but laugh and smile. There was something weird about tickling: you couldn't help but smile when you watched it.

"You'll have to forgive them," a soft voice whispered in my ear. I seriously got goosebumps. I homed in on her voice, blocking out Namine's and Roxas's loud laughter. "Those two have their moments anywhere and everywhere. It's very spontaneous." I turned to Kairi, who was leaning closer to me with a smile on her face. I grinned.

"That's to be expected," I heard the skin-on-skin sound. Ouch. Someone just got slapped. "Have they always been like this? If so, then nothing has changed after all." Psh. Tickle fights. So eleven years ago.

"Actually, they have," she commented. We looked at the blond pair, Roxas with a goofy grin (and a red handprint on his cheek) and Naminé with a disappearing blush. She looked rather… exasperated. Like she just finished a marathon.

"And what are you two whispering about?" Roxas asked. Wipe that smirk off your face. You look like a fool.

Despite my thoughts, I smiled and replied, "Your moments." I looked at both of them. Roxas chuckled as Naminé groaned, her blush restored.

"We weren't having a moment!" they said simultaneously. That got the whole table erupting in laughter.

"Keep telling yourself that," Kairi said knowingly. She shot me a side glance and smirked.

"It's only a matter of time," I finished for her. Both of the blondes in denial, along with Kairi, laughed with me. Ah, leaving the house today was definitely a good idea.

* * *

Per Roxas's suggestion, we decided to wait a couple minutes before leaving the restaurant. Probably to make sure that no lingering tabloid journalists or photographers were still stalking the area. Deciding that the coast was clear, we left the restaurant.

"So, what will you do now?" Roxas and the rest of the gang looked at me. I shrugged.

"I was planning on buying stuff for the party tomorrow. Did you hear about it?"

"Yeah. Where's it at?"

"Your aunt's basement, apparently," I grinned with my hands behind my head. He shook his head and laughed.

"Figures. Well then, you can definitely count on Naminé and me to be there, right?" he looked at the blonde, who nodded in agreement.

"Cool. That's two more people I'll know at the party. You guys heading out anywhere?" Of course, he looked at Naminé expectantly.

"Well, I was in the art store earlier and found some things on clearance. Lots of stuff, actually…" Oh yeah. The art store I passed three or four times. "I was wondering if any of you wanted to tag along."

Seeing as how I had the whole day to get the party gear together, why not? "I don't see wh—" a hand fell heavily on my shoulder, and I turned to see its owner staring back at me with determined eyes. Oh. Was it bad that I kind of forgot she was here?

"Nah, you two can go off alone. Sora and I will head home. We gotta put that car back anyway, right?" My eyes widened at the realization. She was right.

"Oh. I kind of forgot about that," Naminé folded her hands in front of her, slightly embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it, I did too. Sora, do you think you and Kairi can take it back up to my aunt's house?"

I nodded in affirmation. Sure, if I knew where it was. "Mind taking me to it?"

"Oh yeah. Follow me," we all fell behind him as he led us to the back of the restaurant. There was a smaller, much more ordinary looking building. "Sora, stay behind me." I followed the order with no question. Naminé and Kairi were already in place. Roxas knocked on the wall. Well, I thought it was a wall, until I heard the sound that reverberated with each impact. "Guys, it's Roxas. Open up!"

The wall… thing immediately swung outward. Three boys in different colored caps were standing where the wall used to be.

Okay. What in the world is this place? First the kid in the restaurant, and now these three. They didn't look a day over ten years old. Was this some sick child labor camp or something?

"We finished the car!"

"It looks really awesome too!"

"You guys are already leaving?"

Wow. They sounded almost exactly the same. They even looked the same! The boy in red, who spoke first, walked towards a covered vehicle. It was probably the convertible. "Each of us helped out with the cover-up."

"That's great, Huey. Did you guys use the magn—"

"Yeah! Different colors too! We couldn't decide on which one to use, so we picked our favorite colors and used all of them!" the boy in the blue answered. We all gave him confused looks.

"Dewey, what are you talking about?" Roxas asked the question we were all thinking about. The young boy in the red laughed before walking up to another boy in green. I think they were brothers.

"Why don't you guys see for yourself? It's awesome! Louie, take off the cover!" The only unnamed boy grabbed the cover from the front of the car and pulled it off.

The product before us looked like the kind of car you'd throw together using different colored Lego blocks. The hood of the car and the trunk were now red. As for the bumpers, one could brag of the vibrant, green shine and glory. Both of the doors were as blue as a bar of Sea Salt Ice Cream. As for the roof… well, to be honest… it looked like the freaking rainbow. Yet still visible was the fact that the car was black. It looked like… magnets, shaped exactly to the car's body parts, were placed haphazardly to cover up its true colors.

Everyone burst out laughing at the sight of it. Except Kairi.

"We have to drive home in that?" she asked with a restrained smile. Aww, let it out Kairi! It's funny!

"Guess so!" I tried to stop myself from chuckling at the thought. It looked like a freaking circus car. Cloud should consider a makeover.

"Hmm… seems you forgot one important thing, guys!" Roxas was still laughing when he observed the license plate. "Allow me. Where's the sticker machine?" I was finally able to open my eyes to their fullest, my laughter finally dying down. I watched as Roxas used a weird machine, the sound of something being stamped resounding every few seconds.

"What is that thing?" I asked the blonde at work.

"It's a sticker machine. To put over your license plate,"

"Isn't that illegal?" my own skepticism was doused as I thought about the day. Hell, almost every little thing we did today was illegal. "You know what, forget it. What did you make?"

"You'll see…" he smirked mischievously. Naminé groaned.

"Roxas, please tell me…"

"It's going to be funny, Naminé. I promise," he laughed to himself as he lifted his work.

"Are you done?" Kairi stood beside Naminé and tried to look at the finished product.

"Yup. Get a load of…" Roxas turned around with the product behind his back. He flashed it in front of us with a huge smile on his face.

I _cracked up._

Kairi couldn't hold in her laughter any longer and burst out laughing. Naminé, on the other hand, rolled her eyes and groaned. She was still smiling, at least. The young boys stared at the word quizzically before Roxas took it away from view.

"What does va… vuh…" Louie… or was it Dewey? Well, the boy in the blue hat never got his question out when Naminé covered the his mouth.

"You're not allowed to say it. It's a bad word," she explained calmly.

Roxas laughed and tried to reason with his blond companion, "C'mon, Naminé! It's perfect, six letters and everything! And it's not a bad word! It's—"

"_Taboo,_" his girlfriend cut him off. He relented, but still held onto the sticker. "You can't exactly scream the name of the female… _genitalia_ without getting weird looks. Ah! No! Don't you dare say it!"

Roxas laughed as relented once again. Whoosh, crack. That dude was totally _whipped!_

Huh. He said Ven was whipped? If _Roxas_ thought someone else was whipped, then that must've been on a whole new level.

I laughed harder at the thought. Must run in the family. "Fine. Quite frankly I don't see what's wrong. Do you guys?" he finally involved Kairi and me in the conversation. I was laughing too hard to say anything. Kairi, do you have a couple words?

"Roxas… as funny as I find it, I don't think it's a good idea. We'll be taking the back road anyway, and I don't think it's necessary to take such precautions. And, no offense you guys," she turned to the three smiling boys, "but the bright and different colors kind of destroys the plan to stay inconspicuous."

The three boys held their smiles and asked simultaneously, "What's inconstipicutusus?"

I laughed harder (I find everything funny, sorry!). Kairi dismissed their question and giggled. "Forget it. We'll just take the car up as it is in the back roads. Sora!"

Not right now, Kairi. I'm still trying to stop laughing.

"I don't think he's going to stop any time soon…" Roxas smirked.

"Yeah… because… of you…" I managed to say in between gasps. His smirk turned into a toothy smile as he flashed me the license plate again.

"You mean this thi— ahahahaha!" he burst out laughing. Oh, someone help me. My sides are killing me!

Apparently Kairi caught the giggles as well. Naminé, who probably seemed to be the most mature at the moment, huffed and took the sticker away. She tore it to shreds. "We won't be needing this anymore!"

Aww. What a sore sport! It was funny, Naminé!

That was all that we needed to cease our loud laughter. Sure, a giggle and chuckle would escape here and there, but Naminé took our laughter and put it on the figurative chopping block. But the laughing plague still ran rampant.

Aren't I so profound?

"You guys…" Roxas began with a snicker, "will have to take this straight to the house. Parking it anywhere will allow people to notice that everything covering it is fake."

He sounded quite smart when he said that. Had I not contracted a case of giggles and felt smart as well, I would have agreed without a word of defiance. I suppressed my laugh long enough to get out, "Why thank you, Dr. Roxas, for your enthralling and intellectual input. I honestly don't know how we would get by every day without… pfft… ahahahaha!" I literally fell to the floor laughing. Kairi and Roxas followed suit, while Naminé rolled her eyes and chuckled. _Everything_ was funny when you caught the giggles.

And so the laughing marathon began once again.

* * *

We finally managed to stop laughing after Naminé made the worst joke in existence. In fact, it was so bad, we ended up laughing at it for a couple minutes. But it died down, so we were able to focus at the originally planned task.

"We can pick the kids up for you guys if you want," Roxas explained without a trace of the laughing plague. "I'm on the list of authorized guardians anyway. Plus, you won't want to take the kids to the store anyway. One glance at the toy's section and you two would be finished."

Kairi nodded and stood up from one of the chairs in the workshop. Well, I had no idea what else to call it. Anyway, the three boys left a while ago to get drinks inside. It was reassuring to know that the child slaves got food, water, and shelter.

Just kidding. I'm sure they weren't child slaves.

"Sora! Earth to Sora!" Roxas waved a hand in my face. Oh, he was talking to me? "Get going. Take the magnets off as soon as you get home. We'll meet you at my aunt's when Naminé and I drop off the kids. Got it?"

"Aye, got it Cap'n!" I saluted Roxas as he passed and stood next to Naminé. I looked at Kairi, who was looking at me expectantly. "Oh, right, sorry…"

"No problem. Let's get out of here." We climbed into the car, which, despite the now-blue scissor doors, was still really cool. Kairi looked around in awe.

"Isn't it awesome?"

"Definitely! Too bad we gotta leave the top up, huh?" she flashed a smile and rolled down her window. I drove out of the garage and caught up with the strolling couple that was holding hands. "Hey Roxas!" the redhead yelled from the car, "Don't forget about my tennis gear!" Ha. Of course. I rolled down my own window and looked to Kairi, who had written down the directions I didn't pay attention to.

"So, Miss Navigator… where shall we be going today?"

* * *

RE:I would like to take this moment and thank **SecretAgent99, ShadowSpooky, Electron Beam, xxKingdomxXHeartsxXGirl, and SilverClock.**

Also, I'd like to thank **EloquentDisaster, -Gothic-Rainbow-, Dynasty021**, **Zettai Eniguma, **and the** Annonymous Reviewer **for reviewing last chapter!

I'll see you guys around.


	5. Maybe Just A Little

Chapter 5: Maybe Just A Little

"Can you believe Roxas wanted to put that sticker on the license plate?!" the brunet chuckled next to me. I couldn't help but laugh along. This boy was so… cheery. He was such a happy child.

"He can be such a pervert sometimes… Naminé was like the only one not laughing," I was still giggling at the memory. Hey, at least she protected the boys from… oh, I don't know. "But kids that young… it'd be scary if they were saying that word left and right!"

"Definitely. I'm glad Naminé is around to keep Roxas in check. That guy is totally whipped!"

I laughed at the idea. To me, Roxas has always been like that, catering to every beckon and whim of my blond best friend. Oh. I guess Sora's right, in a sense. "I never really noticed that before…"

He briefly looked away from the road to give me a shocked look, "Seriously? Never noticed?" I shook my head in response, "Wow… that's surprising…"

"Yeah…" I looked out the open window, the cool breeze leaving light kisses on my face and running through my hair. I loved that feeling. I looked around, noticing the slightest incline we we're now driving at. We're nearing the mountain road. It wouldn't be much longer.

"Hey, Kairi." The boy's voice made its way into my thoughts like a hot knife through butter.

"Yeah?"

"How long have Roxas and Naminé been dating?" his head tilted to the side in curiosity. Haha! Cute.

I stared at him for a few seconds before giggling like a schoolgirl. Ugh, compose yourself! "H-huh… haha!"

He turned to me again, this time with the smile that basically said _I can't help but smile because you're laughing._ "What's so funny?"

I took a few deep breaths before answering his question. Breathe, Kairi, breathe. "Roxas and Naminé aren't dating!" I used my "don't be ridiculous" tone for added kicks.

"No way!" His spiky locks bounced and danced. I couldn't tell if it was because of the wind or because of his sudden movements. "What about that whole thing in the restaurant? The tickle fight? You even told me they were having one of their moments! To top it off, they were holding hands when we left! And you're telling me they're not dating?"

I chuckled at the assumption he had made. Couldn't blame him, right? "Despite what you may think, they're not." I looked at him and almost laughed at the stubborn look on his face. "What, don't believe me?"

"No, no, I believe you…" Sora was smiling once again. "After all these years…"

"I honestly don't know why they aren't dating. Both of them told me they liked the other. And they do everything that a normal couple would do, short of a kiss. Either those two are too afraid to rock the boat, which in my opinion, wouldn't be rocked at all considering how they act already… or they're just completely oblivious to each other's feelings. And believe me, when people like each other, they become oblivious to the way their love interest acts. I blame it on the paranoia and the constant inner turmoil induced by the question, 'does he or she really like me.' Works wonders on people."

Because I, Kairi, with all my dating experience, know this.

"Figures... Roxas is too shy to do anything. He won't take the risky leap until something great is at stake. He isn't one to break his comfortable mold."

I was surprised with how much I agreed with the brunet. "Yeah! Normally he walks around with the kind of confident swagger, but throw in Naminé in a bath towel and he's a blushing idiot." I shut my mouth as soon as I realized what I had spoken. Ooh. Bad reference. "I-I mean… y'know, Naminé in the picture and everything…"

"Yeah…" I stole a glance at the brunet behind the wheel, and I swear his face was as red as a tomato. I looked away. Mine was probably worse.

Ugh, why did I bring that up? Stupid move! Stupid!

That incident is something that I'd like to forget. In fact, I can't believe something like that happened. He practically saw me _naked!_ And don't get me started on the image burned into _my_ mind.

I decided to forgive him quickly about it. One, it wasn't his fault really, and two, I didn't want it hanging over us. Fate would have it so we saw each other every day for the next week. I didn't want to look at the guy and suddenly remember that night. I've gone beyond that. Why? Because I put it to rest. It was cast away into the dark recesses of my mind. Away. Locked up somewhere, never to be intentionally discovered.

And what do I do here? Bring it up. A poor choice of words, Kairi.

The wind was cooling my hot face when I decided to sneak a glance at the driver. His hair spiked wildly in all directions, seemingly floating in the breeze.

You know, I had to admit: he wasn't all that bad-looking.

He had a build almost exactly like Roxas's, although I'd say Roxas was a little tougher-looking. He dressed in a plain and simple fashion, wearing cargo pants and a white t-shirt. His shoes were white and clean, which pretty much told me that he wasn't a total slob. I glanced back to his upper body. A cool-looking chain with a crown pendant was around his neck. I've never seen anything like it before. I wonder where he got it…

And then, I found his face. If girls, and not me of course, were to be attracted to this boy, his face was definitely something to consider. Simply put, he had that… _cute_ look about him. Not handsome, but cute. It just urged you to play with his face! Like, wow, have you ever wanted to just pinch a little boy's cheeks or push his face together because you know it'd be fun?!

Um, not like I wanted to do that with Sora, of course. That was just weird. And it'd be so awkward anyway, doing all that stuff to someone my age…

Okay. Nevermind. Moving on now.

Some, but not much, of the spikes he called hair fell over his eyes. His bright, azure eyes, in case you didn't know. It made him look… ugh, okay. Fine, I'll admit it.

I thought Sora was cute.

Are you happy? Do I have to say it again?

I thought Sora was cute.

That's it. That's the extent of my thoughts about him in terms of looks. He was cute. He wasn't handsome, he wasn't hot, he wasn't drop-dead gorgeous. Just cute. It doesn't mean anything. He was cute, but he was also a pervert, he caused a lot of trouble with the car and… I don't know. So okay. Maybe I don't have anything against him besides the fact that he saw me in nothing but a towel.

"Is there something wrong? Don't tell me there's a spider crawling up my arm or something…" he suddenly asked with a frightened look.

What in the world was he talking about? "Huh?"

He glanced at me for a second, looking me over. "Well, you've been staring at me for the past… I don't know, minute? I assumed you weren't looking at me, but you just started making a disgusted face seconds before I interrupted you. So I thought something was wrong."

I made a face? Well, more importantly, I was _staring?_ No way! "I wasn't staring… just thinking…" Yeah, about you. But it's nothing but bad thoughts anyway, you wouldn't want to hear.

"Oh… okay then…" he seemed hesitant to drop the topic, but he relented. The inside of the car was once again wrapped up in silence. "So, uh… what are you gonna do when we get home?"

Oh, good question. 'Cause we're gonna spend _so_ much time there anyway. "Well, aren't we gonna go straight to the store? Don't you need that party stuff?" You know, that one you never really invited me to?

"Oh… well, I kinda thought that we could just… chill at the house for a while. But not long!" he quickly added. What, was I that scary? I thought we were on friendly terms.

Oh. That's right. What were we, exactly?

I mean, we introduced ourselves to each other… had a couple conversations over some really good hot chocolate… my ideal choice of waker-upper, if you ask me… and ate lunch with some friends. And we were just talking like a bunch of chummy old pals a couple minutes ago.

Yet, did we establish anything?

"Hey, Sora... are we friends?" I asked tentatively. He looked at me with a shocked expression.

"I'd like to be…" I couldn't help but blush from the way he said that. But I have no idea why my body decided that was something to be blushing about. "I just… wondered if you truly forgave me for… you know, seeing you n—"

"Don't say it." I said curtly. I didn't want to remember that. Don't remind me that a person who I hadn't known to even exist twenty four hours ago saw me practically naked. I erased the thoughts from my mind and looked up at Sora.

What I saw made me feel really bad.

He had a dejected look about him, like he had done something terribly wrong. To be honest, he reminded me of a scared puppy. I sounded incredibly pissed and didn't even realize it. Great, Kairi. Way to make the happy child sad.

"Oh my gosh, Sora, I'm so—"

"It's okay; you don't need to apolo—"

"But I—"

"—can't blame you for feeling—" he stopped speaking on his own and looked at me. I stopped talking when I noticed he was still talking. So once again, what happened?

Awkward silence, that's what! I kept my mouth shut, waiting for him to speak first. He kept his blue eyes trained on the curving road, looking a bit nervous.

"Um…"

"Hey…" Another simultaneous set of words. Great, Kairi. Let's prolong the awkward silence. I opened my mouth wide, as if to tell him I was about to speak. He shot a glance at me and started laughing. "What?" I didn't know what he was laughing about.

"Huh? Oh, this whole thing… you're sitting there with your mouth open so we'd speak like normal human beings…"

Well, what was I supposed to do, sing it to him? Nevertheless, I found it quite funny as well. "Well, we were failing pretty hard at it, so that's why we had to slow it down…"

"Yeah," he chuckled and nodded, "I guess you're right…"

"Anyway, you go first. I didn't have anything important to say, so…"

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Well what was I gonna do? Say no?

"Well… as I was saying… I'd like to be friends." He made eye contact with me and soon turned away, blushing. See? He was cute. Like little kid cute. "And yeah. You're a really fun person to hang out with…" Oh yeah, because we've been hanging out _oh so much_, "I'm getting this vibe from the small time we spent with each other, of course. I mean, it's not like we've known each other long," got that right. "But it just seems… natural." I couldn't agree more. He laughed at himself and added, "It's probably because we have a common friendship with Roxas and Naminé. It just came together…"

Sans that last bit, he nailed everything on the head. I finally gained enough strength to voice something. "Uh-huh…" or not.

"So, what do you say, Kairi?" we ended up pulling into the driveway as he asked the question. How convenient. Like a storybook ending. "Could I safely tell other people that you're my friend?" he gave me one of those smiles that no one could match. And when I say no one, I mean no one. Not even another happy child. It was the happy Sora smile: that wide, toothy, uplifting, and cheesy Sora smile.

How could you not want to be friends with someone like him?

"Is that even a serious question?" I pulled myself out of the colorful car and closed the door. He got out shortly after with a look that told me he was still waiting for an answer. I started pulling off the car magnets and began working my way around, "You're actually asking me if we're friends," I had quite a handful by now, "even after last night's debacle?" I walked a short distance to stand in front of him. He looked a bit deflated. Wow, I was kidding, Sora. I really do have to say it out straight, "Sora, I'd love to be friends with you."

His eyes widened at my words and a grin slowly spread across his face. "Really?"

"Yup. No question about it. Sora and Kairi are officially friends!" I laughed before I finished the sentence.

The next thing I knew I was wrapped up in his arms.

And as sudden as it happened, so to had it left. Did the temperature outside just shoot up twenty degrees? "Thanks, Kairi." He looked me in the eye with such sincerity.

"Hehe… y-yeah." Oh no, don't tell me I was blushing. From a hug?! Seriously? Kairi, get a freaking grip!

"Here," he said, taking the magnets off my hands, "I'll finish this up. You can go inside and do… whatever, I guess" They should have sound effects to accompany his smile. Because he was doing it again. Smiling.

"All right. Works for me. We'll take my car to the store if that's all right with you," I added a questioning tone, but I didn't expect him to have any problems with it. Of course, I was right. He nodded before peeling away the rest of the red, blue, and green magnets, and I made my way to the house. I could probably use a shower… "Hey, Sora!" I called from the front door. He laid out the car cover and looked at me.

"What is it?"

"I'm going to be doing something upstairs," I told him, "so…"

"Yeah. I gotcha!" Whew. Thanks for the save from the awkwardness.

I was upstairs in a heartbeat. Despite the reassurance, I brought the clothes I was going to change into with me to the master bathroom.

It doesn't hurt to be safe, right?

* * *

So the last time I used the shower, I only rinsed myself of dirt because I wanted to lie in the bathtub... but _wow._ When all the showerheads were on, coming from all directions… it was simply amazing. Very refreshing. The glass door going into blurry-mode certainly made me feel more secure.

Well, that was a few minutes ago. I stared at myself in the mirror. Ah. Satisfactory once again. I wish somebody told me how hideous I looked at _7__th__ Heaven._ I felt sticky from dried sweat and dirt and my hair was just… another story altogether. But this… yeah. I looked good. My hair was perfect; I had just put on lotion, so I was glowing. And I was wearing a really cute outfit. Classic khaki shorts that ended well above my knee and a white tee.

I shot a glance at the clock and sighed in relief. We had about an hour and a half before Roxas and Naminé got here with the kids. Maybe they'll take the kids out for some fast food.

"Sora, you ready to go?" I called down the stairs with car keys in hand. I received no answer. "Sora?" Hmm. Was he in the basement? I walked through the hallway upstairs and began climbing down the stairs.

Oh. So that's why he didn't answer.

There he was, sleeping on the couch. He had the classic, snoozer look: hands folded behind his head, and legs propped up on the other end. Must've been quite comfy. I slowly tiptoed toward him, careful not to accidentally knock something over. It's simply no fun if you don't wake them by surprise.

I ended up changing my mind when I was right in front of him. I don't know how he did it, but there was a goofy grin on his face. Jeez. So the kid never stopped smiling, even in his sleep. His hair seemed to tickle his face as it lightly brushed his skin every time he exhaled.

Fine. I'll also admit that he looked really _cute_. But that doesn't mean anything, okay? I think puppies are really cute, does that mean I want to date puppies? Hell no. So don't go and start making assumptions. Besides, he's probably grinning like that from a perverted dream anyway…

My thoughts came to an immediate halt when I considered something. There _was_ a chance that I could be the subject of such dreams. He did, after all, see me nearly naked…

"Ugh, no! Stop it!" I wanted to slap myself across the face for thinking like that. Moving on.

I decided to let him nap: I had things to do... like make a schedule of what to do tonight anyway.

* * *

I managed to fix up a plan for tonight in about… two minutes. Really, all I had to do was find a way to entertain the kids, dinner, when's bath time, when they go to bed… blah blah blah. This job was a cinch. And I loved every minute of it.

So, for the past ten minutes, I've been watching Sora sleep. Now, as creepy and as awkward as it sounds, it's not that bad. It's not like I was studying him or anything. Plus, I even made a shopping list for us, because I knew Sora didn't. At least now we'd go into the store knowing what to look for. So I wasn't watching him the whole time.

It was time to wake the sleepy-head up anyway. "Sora." He didn't budge. Oh, figures that's not enough… "Hey, Sora. You have to wake up." Again, no reaction. I got up from my seat and poked his shoulder. I gave it a shove after that didn't work.

He happily continued napping. "Sora," I was practically whining now, "wake up! We have to go. If you don't, I'll go without you." Why wouldn't this kid wake up? I really had no choice but to literally yell in his face. So, leaning down in front of him, my face a couple inches from his, I yelled, "SOR—"

"RAAAH!" he suddenly woke up growling, scaring the living daylights out of me. What are you talking about? Of course I screamed. He, on the other hand, was laughing his head off. "Haha! Kairi, you should've seen your face! It was _priceless!_"

I gave his arm a whack. "Are you freakin' kidding me? You scared the shit out of me! How long were you awake?" My heart was still beating crazily….

"When you told me I had to wake up is when I started coming to. The poke and the shove pretty much brought me back to the real world. And anything after that… well, I just wanted to mess with you!" he grinned cheekily.

"Ugh, screw you…" I shoved him before getting up. He followed suit, stretching and yawning as he did so. With a quick shake of his head, his hair was "fixed." Now that was pretty cool. "Wow. I'd kill to be able to do something like that."

"Like what?" he was still grinning like an idiot. Yeah yeah, boast all you want, you were so _scary._

"That thing you just did. You just shook your head and poof!" I slipped on my shoes and walked toward the door. "Hair's all fixed. Well, as fixed as you can make it." I teased.

He laughed and opened the door for me. "Hey, I like my hair. It's like it has a mind of its own. Besides, you're hair is already perfect as it is. It always straight and pretty." I looked at him, surprised at the compliment. He blushed and looked away. How cute.

"Thanks." I smiled at his shocked expression. What? He just complimented me! Did he expect me to beat him to the ground or something?

Oh. Then again, the last time he complimented me I kind of… shot it down. But I was pissed at him then.

We walked out to my car and climbed into our respective seats. "Is this yours?" he asked casually.

"Yeah. My parents bought it for me after this year's tennis finals. I had been rank one since sophomore year, but I didn't have my license back then. So after winning… yeah, kind of like a prize for all my hard work."

"That's cool. It's a nice car."

I laughed. What we were riding in before was a nice car. This one was _normal_. "Thanks. I love it. This baby gives me so much freedom." I turned the radio on, but left the volume low. Just to avoid the silence that had a tendency to accompany car rides. "Hey, if it's all right with you, we're going to be going to a wholesale club. I have my mom's membership card, and since you're preparing for quite a bit of people, I'm guessing you'll need things in bulk."

"Yeah, that's fine with me." He gave me one of those toothy smiles. You're probably sick of hearing about them, but trust me. He does smile that much and they are _that_ noticeable.

As expected, a silence enveloped the car. But this time around, it wasn't so heavy. It was just… normal. Comfortable. There wasn't any of the stranger feel, but it wasn't the feeling you got when surrounded by a bunch of friends. It was… neutral.

"Hey Kairi, do you wanna play a game?" he suddenly asked.

"If this is one of those games where you punch me every time you call a different license plate, then no. The driver always has a disadvantage anyways."

He chuckled. "No. Twenty Questions. You up for it?"

"Sure. You got nineteen left."

"Kairi, that's not fair! You can't say that question counts."

I laughed at the sucker. "And why not?"

A mischievous smile crept onto his face. "Nineteen." He said victoriously. Oh hell no. Did he just outsmart me? I was outsmarted by _him?_

"Ugh, do-over!" I said in frustration. The smile on my face, however, betrayed my tone.

"No, I think this is fair." He still had that mischievous smile.

I ignored the urge to ask what difference it would make to give us each our one question back. So I decided to be the spoiled sport. "If we don't get our twentieth question, then I'm not playing." I issued the ultimatum. He pouted before snickering.

"Fine. We each have twenty questions. Any questions following this point count. Starting now."

We both fell into silence, the annoying commercial guy filling in the absence of noise. What was I supposed to do? Waste one question? Heck no, I wanted my twenty. Bitch. "Okay, timeout."

He laughed and scratched his cheek, "Haha. Thanks. I'm guessing you were wondering who goes first."

I nodded. "And a couple ground rules, I guess."

"Okay, let's go with this. We can ask each other anything, but we aren't required to answer if it makes us uncomfortable. If the question goes unanswered, then the question doesn't count. We have to, however, answer with the complete truth. And finally, you _can_ try to trick each other out of questions. Just like I did!" he sniggered as I rolled my eyes. I'll show you. "Does that work for you?"

"Yeah. That works for me. So who's going first?"

"I can if you don't want to." I nodded. I didn't have any questions to ask yet anyway.

"Okay. The game officially starts with this question." He sat up in his seat. "What's your favorite color?"

To be honest, I was taken aback by such an innocent question. "Oh… hmm. I like all the colors…" he gave me a skeptical look. "But if I had to choose a favorite, it'd be lavender. What's yours?"

"I'd go with black or white. I honestly can't decide," he went on, "both are such dominant colors. What about your favorite animal?"

Ooh. That was a hard one. "I'd go with puppies." He laughed along with me. "Let me explain! I think puppies should have their own little category. Like separate animals. They're just so cute! And some of them grow to be such huge, scary dogs. But they all start off cute… yeah. Definitely puppies. What's yours?"

"Lions." Cool animal. Not as cute as puppies. "And Kairi, you're supposed to try and ask real questions! Not just 'what's yours' over and over again!" he whined.

"Okay, okay! I'll start asking real questions. But it's still your turn! You asked two." I reminded him. Wow, we were already down the mountain.

"Fine…" he sat and thought for a moment before asking, "What are the first three things you notice when you first meet someone? Both guys and girls."

It was my turn to sit in silence and think for a while. After careful contemplation, I answered, "First, the eyes… then, I'd have to say the face as a whole… and finally, what the person is wearing." He nodded thoughtfully before looking at me. I realized he was waiting for my question. "Hmm…" buying time, buying time… "What do you think is the most attractive thing a girl can wear?" Wow Kairi. You just had to ask the first thing that came to mind, huh? I probably look like I'm interested in him. And I'm not.

"A wedding dress." He answered without hesitation. I couldn't help but tear my eyes from the road and look at him in surprise. Hey, if we die, it's his fault. "When a woman is in her wedding dress, that's when she's most attractive… and it should be one of the happiest days of her life. Her high spirits, the realization that she's in love and is going to be with that man forever, her beautiful dress… everything about her that day glorifies her. It's her one day to be in the spotlight, her chance to show everyone just how beautiful she is…" he chuckled before continuing, "simply put, it's amazingly attractive. More so if you're the groom, of course!"

I was at a loss for words. I didn't expect that from him. That had to be the _most_ surprising thing I've ever heard from anyone in all the seventeen years of my life. I expected him to do the normal guy thing and name a revealing outfit, like a bikini or… short skirts or something. The brunet sitting in the passenger's seat blew me out of the water.

"Wow… I think I'm speechless…" I blushed, giggling at how surprising the revelation was.

"It was a good question to ask. An interesting one, too." He smiled charmingly at me. If I was any other girl, I'd melt from that.

A temporary silence befell the car before I found some words. "That was quite unexpected, Sora. I expected something more… I don't know, teen-esque. I expected you to answer like every other guy friend I have… that's the first time I heard that answer."

"I'd like to say thank you… if that's a compliment, of course."

I gave him one of _my_ signature smiles. Naminé told me it was my "true happiness" smile. She described it as, _"that smile you give to someone you care for. As if they'd come flying out of the sky in a burst of light and landed a few feet before you."_

"Yeah, Sora. It was a compliment."

Okay. So _maybe_ I was interested in him _a little_ after all.

* * *

We eventually had to start a new game of Twenty Questions, seeing as how we were both spent by the time we grabbed a cart. It took me a while to get over that one surprising answer (in fact, I was still flabbergasted), but I eventually got around to asking more questions. I found out that he hated coffee; he didn't think cheerleading was a sport, and he "lived life spontaneously." He found out, much to his chagrin, that I was thirteen days older than him; that I also hated coffee, and that I never had a boyfriend.

He never had a girlfriend either. I'd be lying if I told you that I didn't feel anything when he said that. What exactly I felt… I honestly don't know myself. It was an entirely new feeling. Let's drop it for now.

We had just found the third item on our list: the plastic cups. Just a few more items to go.

"This question doesn't count. May I see the list, please?" I handed it to him, making our way to the next item: soft drinks. "But this one does: What's your favorite flavor?"

I assumed he was talking about the listed item. "I'd have to go with orange. What about you?"

"Cherry. I'm running pretty low. Gonna need to get more!" He ran ahead of me, eager to find the right section. Well, there he goes. Running off in the wrong direction.

"Sora!" I called the happy child. He turned around quickly, his face lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning. "The drinks are over here. On the left." He ran back, thanking me as he passed. He disappeared into the aisle I had pointed to. Wow. The guy had a lot of energy, I guess. I found him staring pensively at the drink choices.

"I'm leaning towards these ones…" he pointed to the cheapest ones. Hey, it was carbonated water with added chemicals and artificial flavoring in a bottle. Did it really matter?

"Why not..." I nodded and let him add it to the cart.

The rest of the list was completed in a similar fashion: Sora running ahead of me in search of the next item, me having to tell him he was going the wrong way. He always waited for me, asked for my opinion without wasting a question (like he had with the soda) and I always gave him my input. We didn't disagree at all with the choices. I guess we're both cheapskates.

"We're finally done. I think that's record time," I laughed at the memories I had with my parents here. The trip to the store was always an adventure.

"Yup! But I saw an aisle that I really wanted to check. Follow me!" he led the way, running and occasionally riding the cart as he led us to the destination. We ended up in the ice cream section. "This brings me to another question: what's your favorite ice cream flavor?" he rubbed his chin in a sarcastic, thinking manner.

"Strawberry. By far," I added. He smiled, "what's yours?" I asked the lame question again, but at this point, who cares?

He opened the freezer and pulled out two cartons of strawberry ice cream. "Same as you." He added our mutually-loved ice cream to the cart. "We better get home quickly. Don't want the ice cream to melt, right?"

The rest of our questions were used up in the car ride. We decided that was enough questions for now, seeing as how we both were running out of things to ask and we both were overloaded with new information. The game had remained casual and personal, all the while staying behind the line that marked "invasive." I was thankful for that: I didn't need another boy asking what my bra size was. It was indeed relieving to know that Sora wasn't like most of my guy friends. Not that I hate them or anything, but they're boys. Teenage boys.

Sora sent me inside with the ice cream and whatever I could carry, telling me that the ice cream needed to be placed in the freezer immediately. We were unloading the last few bags when Roxas and Naminé arrived. The kids were napping in the back seat. The two teens in the car climbed out simultaneously, Roxas to attend to the kids, and Naminé to attend to us.

"Hey there. I take that's all for the party tomorrow?" she pointed to the bags in our hands. I gave my bags to Sora so he could take them in.

"Yup. We got back like two minutes before you guys arrived. How were they? Good?"

"Yeah. They were pretty excited to see Roxas picking them up. We actually spent a good five minutes there. Apparently nobody believed Vaan when he said his cousin could drive."

I giggled at the thought. "I remember those days. Everyone trying to one-up the other person…"

"Yeah," she smiled softly as she watched Roxas take a sleeping Vaan into his arms. "He looks like he could use some help."

"C'mon. I'll get Penny. Could you grab their stuff?"

I walked to Roxas's car and took the sleeping child into my arms, careful not to wake her. Jeez, so maybe I overestimated my own strength. I quickly took her inside and laid her on the couch opposite to Vaan. They were like sleeping angels on the clouds.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I still couldn't get over how cute they were. I mean, despite my morning with Vaan (something I'd rather not talk about), I still thought he was a wonderful child.

I met my friends in the kitchen, who were happily chatting about something from their childhood. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing.

The first one to notice me enter was Sora. "Kairi! I just remembered that I never really invited you to the party tomorrow."

"It's fine, I have to babysit anyway." I joined them at the counter.

"Nonsense! It's going to be in the basement. You can bring the kids along, it's not like we'll be doing anything bad anyway."

I considered that possibility. "We'll see. I'll probably join you guys when the kids are asleep then."

"Great!" he turned his attention to Roxas. "Do you think you could help me bring this stuff downstairs?"

"Sure." The boys grabbed the bags of party supplies and made their way to the basement. "There's a ping pong table down there, right? You up for a couple games?" I heard Sora's eager reply from the basement and smiled.

"Nothing like friendly competition to bring those guys together, right?" Naminé laughed and sat at the table. She looked at me with those stunning blue eyes of hers. "So, Kairi…"

"Why the 'interrogation' tone, Naminé?" Naminé knew what every one of my smiles meant; for me, it was her tone. I could tell her gossip tone from her casual questioning tone to her interrogation tone. They were all different, believe it or not.

"What'd you and Sora do alone all this time? You seemed pretty adamant about leaving with him alone." She winked.

"Oh don't you turn this on me, Naminé! I _know_ you wanted alone time with Roxas. Don't even deny it!"

She blushed, but she still had that determined look in her eye. "Okay, I won't. But don't you go denying that it was only for that reason!"

"Naminé, I swear, it was! Look me in the eye and tell me I'm lying! The only reason I wanted to leave with Sora alone after lunch was so that you and Roxas could go on your little date."

"Kairi, it wasn't a date." She giggled like a girl in love. Face it, she was. She gave me a hard stare, her eyes boring deeply into mine. I'll win this staring contest. I was telling the truth, after all. "Wow. You really aren't lying."

I smiled victoriously. "Told you."

"Yeah, yeah… but nonetheless, you never answered the question. What'd you guys do alone together?" she repeated. I groaned and rolled my eyes.

"We… talked." I felt like I was in a confession booth. The thought of my best friend in clergy garb made me smirk.

"Care to elaborate?" The ends of her lips curved upwards in a teasing manner.

"We played games… Twenty Questions. Two games of it." She wasn't going to let up, so I really had no choice.

"So you two got to know each other quite a bit?"

"Forty questions. I wouldn't say I know him well, but it's something, right?"

She giggled, her blue eyes shining. "I guess so. What'd you find out about him?"

I thought for a moment before answering, "More than I ever thought I'd know about him. I found out a lot of things."

"That's good…"

"You sound like you have quite a bit left to say." I got up to get a drink. "You want one too?"

"Yeah. A lemonade, please." I took out two cups and searched the refrigerator. "Kairi, what do you think of Sora?"

Hmm. How to answer that? "I'm not sure I get what you're asking."

"You know… do you think that Sora is someone that you might consider… I don't know, like dating?" I took out the carton of lemonade from the refrigerator, only to drop it on the floor. Seriously, Naminé? I've known the guy for… well, not even 24 hours!

"Naminé, where did this question come from? I hardly know this guy!"

"Kairi, let me rephrase the question. That was a bit too forward." You think? "Is Sora someone that you'd have romantic interest in… at uh, any time in the future?"

I blushed at the thought. Already, my best friend was pairing me up with this happy-go-lucky brunet. "Naminé…"

"Kairi, think about it for a second. It's possible!"

"Naminé, I know it's possible…"

"So do you think that he has a chance?"

"With whom?"

"With you." I finished pouring the lemonade, making sure to put the cap on tight. Who knows, I might drop it again when someone else asks me such strange questions.

"Naminé…"

"Kairi, let me look at you." Here we go. She's going to look at my face, stare at me for ten seconds, and know _exactly_ how and what I think about Sora.

"You know, I'm quite comfortable here near the refrigerator…"

"Kairi."

"Fine." I dropped myself in a chair in front of the blonde, holding out her lemonade in a pink cup. "Here."

"Thank you." She immediately took a drink and sighed with satisfaction. She then proceeded to stare at me. It was happening. Her mind reading working wonders on me. You know, I found it strange that the only person that it worked with was me. Was I easy to read? "Kairi. Look me in the eye for a sec?" Though she made it sound like a question, I knew it wasn't optional. I obeyed. "Oh my gosh."

"What?" Was there something in my eye? It started getting itchy just a couple seconds ago. That'd be so disgusting if there were…"

"You think Sora's cute?" she asked with a smile. See? I told you! Well, at least she missed the bit where I _might_ consider Sora and his _tiny_ chance for romantic interest.

"Naminé, it's nothing more than that. Trust me." Now she'll tell me otherwise.

"Of course it's more than that!" See? Told you so. Maybe I do have some psychic powers of my own. "When did you come to this realization?"

I downed some of my lemonade before answering the question. "Today. I just came to the generalization that he was kind of cute. But you know what else is cute? A puppy. Puppies are cute. Does that mean I want to hook up with a baby dog?" Hell to the no! Damn right it doesn't.

"Kairi, it's not the same, and you know it. One, Sora isn't a dog. He's a single, actually decent young man that would _totally_ be a great match for you."

"You know my matches now?"

"Of course." She said as if my question was the stupidest thing she had ever heard. "Best friends for years? Gets you somewhere with the person." She reminded. Of course, how could I forget?

"So why so adamant about Sora and me? Not saying that anything will come out of it." But you can dream, my love.

"Well, mainly because I know that Sora's a good guy." She spun her cup every now and then as she spoke. "He's not a sleazebag. He's cute— like a ten out of ten on that scale— he's charming, he's considerate, he's—"

"Every other c-word tied with a positive connotation…"

"What?"

Oops. Did I say that out loud? "Nothing. Do continue telling me about how _sexy_ you think Sora is though."

"Kairi," she was warning me that time. I backed off immediately. "Anyway, Sora is someone who'd really like you for who you are. And don't—" she raised her hand up as I opened my mouth. I closed it, unable to suppress my smile. She smiled as well. "— I'm not saying you're ugly. You're actually very beautiful. Which is why I'm making this point: girls who are as attractive as you are douchebag-magnets. I'm just saying that Sora isn't one of those. He's not out to get you for your body, is what I'm saying."

"Yes, I follow that."

"The fact that you'd look cute together is just an added bonus!" her laugh echoed into her now-empty cup. The girl loved lemonade.

Well, time to visit the Kairi arsenal and whip out the big guns. "You know who else would look cute together?" Naminé groaned. Hell yeah. She better know what's coming to her.

"Fine, since you let me read you like a book," she teased, "I'll let you in on some information. What do you want to know?"

"Funny you should ask, Naminé. Let's start with this one: How come you and Roxas aren't dating yet?" Yeah. Aiming for the core. With a high powered rifle.

I honestly have no idea what I'm talking about when I say that. I just saw some guy on the man-channels talking about it. It sounds like a big gun.

"Kairi…" she whined. Oh, boo hoo. "You know why we're not!"

"Naminé, I told you a million times, he _likes_ you too! He has ever since he found out that you are in fact allowed to marry your best friend!" You know, like Simba and Nala and how they found out.

"You've seen the way he acts with Xion!" Naminé looked a little disturbed now. "And I think Xion likes Roxas. I was hanging out with her this morning and she asked if Roxas and I were dating yet."

"Xion doesn't like Roxas! They're just good friends. They never hang out alone together! Heck, I hang out with Roxas the second-most, not her!"

"It's still a possibility." She didn't look nearly as disturbed as she had a few seconds ago. So I was getting through to her. "Kairi, tell me something. If Roxas did like me, what should I do?"

Well, for one thing Naminé, he _does_ like you. "Um… say yes?"

"See? That's it right there…" she shot up from her seat and began walking slowly towards the counter. "Let's entertain the possibility that he does like me." Ooh. I bet you'd like that. Well congratulations, he does!

"I told you that he does."

"Okay, fine. So Roxas likes me…" she blushed after saying the sentence. "Does that mean I… wait for him to ask me out?"

Oh. Good point. "Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know what to think! I mean, I personally believe that the guy should ask the girl out. I'm old fashioned like that."

"Then wait for him to ask."

"What if he doesn't?"

I sat there, and for the second time today, I was speechless. Huh.

"See? That's just it. I mean, if he likes me like you say he does, then why hasn't he done anything? He _knows_ I'm old fashioned. If he wanted to have a relationship with me, which you've been telling me he has, then why hasn't anything happened?" she sounded as if she were about to cry. I looked up to see watery eyes. "Kairi… what do I do?" she fell into the seat in front of me.

I didn't know what to say. "I…"

"Why is it like this? How long has he liked me? More than a year, you say, right? Yet… we're here. Today, supposedly after more than a year of liking me, we're still best friends, Kairi! And I'm happy. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy when I spend time with him. But I… I want him by my side. I want to know that he'll be there for me; that he'll commit himself to me. Call me selfish and spoiled for… for not being content with the holding hands, the cuddling, the hugs, and everything else! I just want… something more, you know?"

She paced faster, her hands curled into fists. I remained silent, my own hands folded in my lap as I watched her pour her heart out. "I know I sound like one of those boy crazy girls right now. I might even sound like a spoiled brat. But is it a crime to want to know if my feelings are being returned? Is it wrong to ask for more from someone who has already been with me? I… I need to know. I need to know if he truly feels the same when we hold hands… when we hug…" she laughed sadly, "when we cuddle under the same blanket and watch the sunset. Does it mean anything to him? So I'm told. But… I never get anything concrete."

"It's hard sometimes. When he's not around, I'm thinking about him, making up fairy-tale scenarios in my head. I know all too well that they won't come true. Yet… I still wait. Wishing that one day, I'll wake up one morning and he'll… he'll know exactly how I feel for him. That one morning, I too will know his feelings for me. He's supposedly liked me for a very long time… but that morning never came. The romantic dinner never happened. The confession on the bridge remained a figment of my imagination. The kiss on the beach with the sunset as our background… the kiss in the rain." Her voice broke, and I had to fight hard to hold back the tears. I never intended to break her down like this...

"I've liked him for so long. I've wanted more than friendship for so long. I've waited for my fantasies to come true. And… and here I am today, still at square one. Kairi…"

"Naminé…" This girl was truly in love with Roxas. My heart ached, and I felt the smallest amount of pain she was experiencing. She was really waiting for something to happen. "Naminé, you could always ask him…"

"That's not an option!" she shook her head stubbornly. "He even agrees with me. We talk about everything. He also thinks that the guy should ask the girl. He told me, Kairi, that he thinks it's cowardly if the guy doesn't do the asking. It's what _he_ believes. If I go and ask him, I'll end up either making him angry or… something! What if our friendship comes crashing down? He's obviously content with how things are now…"

"So how long are you willing to wait?" I suddenly asked.

"What?"

"How long are you willing to wait, Naminé?" the question seemed to ring out in the silence that followed. The words that left her moving mouth were inaudible. "Naminé…"

"As long as it takes." She said strongly. The tears that had threatened to fall were held in place by determined eyes. "I'll wait as long as it takes… as long as it takes to hear it from him."

I pulled her into a hug, the kind only a best friend could give. She returned the hug with equal fervor and strength. "Stay strong, Naminé. It won't be long." I gave her a soft smile, eliciting a small laugh. "I can feel it, Namine. It'll happen soon. Just… just give Roxas a little more time. He'll come through for you. He always does, right?" we shared a small laugh as she nodded. "Believe in him, Namine. He won't fail you! Heck, share a Paopu fruit and make him promise on it for extra measure!" I joked.

She laughed genuinely: the way I wanted her to. "Yeah. Thanks Kairi. Thank you so much."

I pulled out of the hug, wanting to make eye contact. It was the only way to make sure she understood how sincere I really felt.

"No. Thank you, Naminé, for telling me all this." I gave her hand a light squeeze. "After all, what are best friends for?"

* * *

RE: **I would like to thank Eloquent Disaster, ShadowSpooky, SecretAgent99, -Gothic-Rainbow-, Electron Beam,**** Zettai Eniguma, xXKingdomxXHeartsxXGirl, and SilverClock**** for reviewing again!  
**

Also big thanks to **The Forgotten Warrior, KHgatomon3444, kikofreako**, **and IDontKnowWhatToCallMyself** for all your wonderful thoughts as well! Thank you very much if you added my story to your faves or alerts list.

**Take care, everyone. I'll see you around!  
**


	6. Happy High

Chapter 6: Happy High

The heart-to-heart with my best friend ended with a hopeful note and the twins' entrance into the kitchen. Sora and Roxas also emerged from the basement shortly after, offering to make dinner for the night. Of course, I didn't decline. Saved me a lot of work, after all. And it was nice to have Roxas and Naminé for dinner. The more the merrier.

Naminé and I watched cartoons and played a card game with the kids (they were definitely making the rules up as they went along). It was nice. The kids were as cute as ever. To think my days with them were limited. It's gonna be really hard to part with them after this job…

Before any of us realized, it was already seven. The boys ended up grilling a huge amount of cheeseburgers and hotdogs. Despite their meals earlier today, I guess they were still in the mood for grilled beef and… huh. What's in a hotdog anyway?

"Kairi, could you pass the ketchup?" Naminé asked from the other end of the table. I looked in my vicinity, and sure enough the ketchup was on my left. "Thanks."

Dinner was near silent like lunch, largely due to the fact that Sora and Roxas were engaged in a silent eating battle. Vaan watched with interest as the two older boys quickly ate the food they had spent so long making.

"Roxas, do you want some ketchup with that?" Roxas declined Naminé's offer with a shake of his head.

I kept an eye on the boys, both of them looking as if they were nowhere near done. "Sora… how many cheeseburgers have you eaten?"

He gulped the last bits of his hot dog and smiled, "Only four. But I got room for more!" Ugh. Disgusting.

"Shouldn't you… I don't know… maybe slow down?"

He already picked up another cheeseburger by the time he answered, "Buh I'm hungwy," he said with a full mouth.

"I'm sure this silent eating contest has nothing to do with it…" Naminé gave up on trying to communicate with Roxas and moved onto Sora. "By the way, I don't know which one of you is winning, but there's only one of each left."

"Dibs on the cheeseburger!" Roxas cut in.

"Too late!" Sora claimed it as his and shoved half of it in his mouth. Roxas stared incredulously before conceding. He settled with the hot dog.

"I hope you have diarrhea."

"Roxas! Don't be so childish." Naminé reprimanded the other boy. Vaan laughed.

"But he took my cheeseburger…" Roxas pouted as he swallowed the last of his hot dog.

"I wanted the last cheeseburger…"

"Penny, you have half a cheeseburger left." I pointed to the girl's plate.

"But I'm full…"

Okay… "So why did you want the last one?"

She looked at the now-empty cheeseburger plate and then turned to me. "Never mind."

"I think I won that." Sora sighed happily and patted his stomach.

"No, that one definitely went to me."

"How about we give the win to Vaan because he isn't arguing?" the blonde next to me suggested.

"We're not arguing!" the walking garbage disposals retorted. Naminé snorted.

"Guys." I managed to silence the whole table. What the hell is up with this dinner? Freaking eating contests. "Let's all just… be quiet. Now, I'll take the kids inside to take a bath. Sora, could you clean outside?"

"Yup!" he enthusiastically agreed to the assigned chore.

"Good. Roxas, Naminé, could you wash the dishes and clean the kitchen? Or will you guys be heading home?"

"I don't see why we can't stay and clean up a bit. Right, Roxas?" he looked at Naminé as if she ruined his grand plan. Oh, get over it. You wouldn't dare say no to Naminé anyway.

"…Yeah, sure…" he sighed dejectedly. Bingo.

"Great! Vaan, Penny, come on. Let's get cleaned up. Then we'll call Mommy and Daddy and see what they're up to."

* * *

I sat in the bathroom with my back against the bathtub wall. Penny was washing herself (and no doubt playing with the bubbles) while Vaan was showering in the foggy glass box.

"Hey Kairi!" Penny called. She dumped a ton of water over her head, giggling as it rushed down her body. "How long have you known Sora?"

"I actually met him last night." I answered. "Why do you ask?"

"I just forgot about him! But he's nice, right?"

Huh. Poor Sora and his forgettable smile, spiky hair, charming blue eyes, and cute face. "Your Mommy forgot about him too. And yeah, he's nice."

"Haha! Penelo!" Vaan's laughed echoed throughout the bathroom. "I'm peeing in the shower!"

Are you kidding me? That's disgusting. "Vaan, don't pee in the shower!" Great, something to remember when I shower tonight. Well, maybe tomorrow morning then. I'll clean the shower first.

"Too late!" his childish laughter was joined by Penelo's.

"Don't you go peeing too, Penny." I pointed. She laughed and nodded.

"That's gross anyway. I'd be standing in pee-pee!" she looked at the water around her knees.

"You know what I think?" I pulled the plug on the drain. "I think both of you are done bathing. It's been ten minutes, that's good enough. Vaan, turn off the shower!"

"Okay!" the bathroom became much quieter without the rushing water, and a naked four year old stepped out into the bathroom. I quickly wrapped him up in his towel, hugging him with it.

"You're all cleeeeeaaaan!" I squeezed. He laughed hysterically. These kids were so adorable! "C'mon, let's dry up!"

"Kairi, I need my towel!" Penny pointed to the hanging towel on the door. I wrapped the girl in my arms; towel now donned, I pulled the laughing child out of the tub.

"Get dried off; we'll change and then call your parents." The kids ran out of the bathroom as fast as their little legs could take them. I took my time to get to their room, where I found Vaan already putting on his pajamas. I went over to him and dried his hair more.

"Kairi!" he laughed with the towel over his head.

"Yeah, it's me. Your hair's a little wet." When I was satisfied, I pulled back. "Much better! Go downstairs now and wait in the living room…" he darted out of the room, "Wait! Stay out of the kitchen!" We don't need any more Naminé-on-Roxas action.

I helped Penelo get changed and began drying her hair. She sat quietly, swinging her feet on the edge of her bed. "So Penny… how was camp?"

"It was really fun! We blew bubbles and used kickboards and swam in the deep end!" she recalled. "Vaan had a lot of fun too!"

"Oh, did he now?" After giving me so much trouble this morning too. Well, maybe tomorrow he'll be less… rebellious. "What are you guys doing tomorrow?"

"I think tomorrow is Play Day!"

"What's Play Day?" That could mean anything. What kind of name was that?

"We get to swim in the pool and do whatever we want after lunch! They give us toys and boards and water guns and music and the lights are off and on and—"

"Okay Penny, I think I get it." I laughed at the long-winded explanation. I'm guessing you really like Play Day?"

"Yeah! It's the best!" She almost fell out of my lap as she made the declaration.

"That's great to hear. Now come on, we still have to call your parents. Vaan's waiting." She hopped out of my lap as soon as I finished speaking. Guess the only thing I'm useful for is drying and combing hair.

* * *

I came downstairs to find Sora at the front door, with my two blond friends waiting in the foyer. The kids filled the rest of the opening, eager to see the two off.

"You guys are leaving already?"

"Yeah. We kind of have something to do tonight…"

"Why won't you guys tell me what it is?" Sora whined, leaning on the door. I walked to the door, waiting for Sora to stand up straight so I could get through.

"Movie night?" I asked suggestively. Roxas blushed.

"And _just_ a movie. I think we're watching something scary."

"Wow. That's a way to get her on top of you."

"Sora!" What the hell was that?! There are kids here!

"It's not like that," Roxas defended. Despite the defense, the two blushed. Seems Sora was right on the munny.

"Now, that's enough antagonizing now. You two enjoy your movie, all right?" I went to give Naminé a hug before they left, and the two kids did the same with both blondes.

"Bye guys! I'll see you tomorrow." The blond girl waved to all of us.

Who wants to be a bunch of creepers and see them drive away? "All right everyone, let's get back inside and lock this door." I urged the kids forward and onto the couch, but held Sora back.

"Something wrong?"

"Um, yeah! Why did you say that? Did you not notice the two small children standing at the door?"

"Kairi, it's okay, they don't get the reference anyway!" I gave him a hard stare. "All right. I'm sorry. It'll never happen again, I promise."

"Much better." I walked towards the kids on the couch, grabbing a phone on the way. Seeing as how he had nothing left to do, Sora followed me, settling on a nearby couch.

"Can I talk to Mommy first?"

"No, I want to!"

"Guys, we're all going to talk to Mommy. Let's all just calm down and wait for her to pick up." I dialed the near-memorized number and waited to hear my teacher's voice. She picked up almost immediately. I turned on the speakerphone.

"Kairi! You called at a perfect time. I just finished winning my first match!"

"Hi Mommy!" the kids were answered with their mother's laugh.

"Penny! Vaan! How are you? Being good, I hope!"

"Yeah! We are!"

"They're not lying, Miss Lockhart. They've been very good."

"That's good to hear. Oh, Kairi, I need to talk with you later. Just give me a couple minutes with the kids, okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." I looked at each of the kids, and then to Sora. He was sitting calmly on the couch, and I don't need to tell you the facial expression he was wearing. I pointed to the kitchen and raised a brow, to which he nodded and stood up.

"Those kids were pretty excited, weren't they?"

"Yeah, they were the same way last night." I leaned on the countertop, looking at Sora.

"You up for some strawberry ice cream?" he offered, taking the carton out of the freezer.

"You bet!" Oh my gosh. I forgot we bought that. I _love_ ice cream. I went to the utensil drawer and pulled out two spoons, Sora meeting me with bowls and a scooper in hand.

"You can go first if you want." He offered. I took the scooper from him and dug in. 'Wow, that's a lot of ice cream. Almost a third of the carton!" he joked.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I love ice cream, and this flavor is heavenly. Take as much as you want." I pushed the carton to him.

"Well in that case…" he pushed his bowl aside and grabbed the whole thing. "I'll just finish this off for us."

"Hey! Don't eat it all!"

"But you said I could have as much as I want."

"That means that you're allowed to get more than me! That doesn't mean steal the whole carton!"

He laughed, his blue eyes shining as he put the carton back on the counter. "Fine. I'll get a little more than you. I suppose that's enough."

"Even if it isn't, you're not finishing it off."

"Why not?" he dressed his face in a fake pout.

"Because I'm going to be the one who gets the last third of the carton." I smiled. Oh yes, the rest of the strawberry ice cream goes to _me._

"Okay…" he sighed in defeat, but the smile on his face threw his act. He put the heavenly dessert back in the freezer and settled on the other side of the counter. "So…"

"So?" I smiled as I pulled an empty spoon from my mouth. Maybe that was from the shape of the spoon, or the fact that he was trying to converse and making it awkward.

"Roxas and Naminé… have movie nights?" I laughed at his attempt. "Okay, I get it, I'm failing hard. No need to rub it in."

"You are quite the quirky individual." At least around me.

"I wish I knew what that meant."

I laughed at his cheeky smile. I honestly couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. "Well, to answer your question, they do have movie nights. Every couple days or so, they get together."

"Whose house is it at?"

"Probably Roxas's. That's where most of 'em are. And the two are practically next door neighbors. The only things that separate the two are Roxas's backyard and another street. Cross those, and you're standing at Namine's front door."

I ate a spoonful of ice cream and watched as Sora did the same. "And their parents have no problem with it whatsoever?" he asked curiously.

"Nope. None at all." I scooped more of the heavenly ice cream, "They've been friends forever. When nothing fishy happened at the start of their teen years… you know, like, stuff… they kind of just took it in stride. I don't know if they were relieved or disappointed to know that their children weren't dating." I placed the spoon in my mouth. Heaven.

"This ice cream is orgasmic." He said with a cheesy smile on his face. I laughed with him, nodding my head. "So Roxas and Naminé like each other, but neither have made a move to do… er, anything. Right?"

"That's right. Yet they do everything a normal couple would do, save for kissing. Come to any of our group sleepovers or game nights or move nights, and when everyone crashes, those two are sleeping together. Cuddling in the same sleeping bag and everything. It's an awful reminder of how disgusting it is that they're not dating!"

"Wow. You have a serious problem with their relationship… or lack thereof."

"Yes, I'm quite passionate about it. Those two belong together." I shrugged, savoring one of my last few bites.

"Yeah. Can't exactly imagine them separated or with other people…" we fell into a silence, probably in part to our agreement. Besides the sounds of the kids' screaming and the clanking silverware, the air in the kitchen was still.

"Hey Kairi…" my gaze fell upon him, giving him permission to continue, "Roxas and Naminé like each other, right?"

"Yeah. I think it's pretty obvious."

"And you say they sleep together and everything?"

"Yeah. Like a newlywed couple. Or mating seahorses. Whichever image you prefer to conjure up."

"…Huh. I see." He left it at that and began finishing the rest of his ice cream. What the heck? You're going to build it up with questions and then drop it?

"Sora, why'd you ask?"

"It's nothing."

"Sora!"

"Trust me; I'd rather not say it out loud."

"You can't just build it up like that and expect me not to ask! Plus, this whole thing right here?" I demonstrated with my hands, "all it's doing is making me more curious. So tell me!"

"Kairi, I promise you, it's something you'd rather not hear."

"You will tell me what you were thinking." Screw feminine charm. When I really want something, I'm going to get it. And he's going to tell me.

"You're going to regret this. And I don't want to say this out loud."

"You're going to make me walk over there? I'm really going to have to walk around this counter and come over there?"

Okay, okay. Fine." I smiled in satisfaction. "Roxas and Naminé sleep together, right?"

"Yes, moving on now…"

"Well… I was thinking, and it was never intended to be voiced. Never. And anyway, if those two slept in the same sleeping bag and whatnot…"

"Now I'm afraid to see where this is going…" he gave me a look asking if he could stop. How about no. "But do continue. I'm interested to see what you thought up."

"You're going to judge me on it."

"Now that you say that, I'm not allowed to. So continue."

"You promise?"

This better be good. All this build up... "Yes, I promise not to judge you. Now go, tell me what you were thinking."

"So if Roxas likes Naminé and sleeps with her… and you say they cuddle, right?"

"Yeah, quite inseparable. Newlywed couple, remember?"

"Yeah, I do. So that got me thinking. Wouldn't Naminé… I mean, I'm not Roxas or anything, but…"

"I don't see where this is going…"

"Okay. When a guy really really likes a girl…"

"Are you giving me the talk?"

"Just… listen. I don't know how to explain this so it doesn't sound weird."

"Too late. You might as well come out with it." I teased. Seriously, what was he trying to say?

"Okay. If they slept that closely together, and Roxas really liked Naminé, then wouldn't he… ugh, do I have to say it? It makes me seem like a pervert."

"Sora." I walked around the counter. So it's come to this. "Sora, will you please tell me what you were thinking? Please?"

He looked away with a blush on his face. Yes, Kairi said please. When Kairi says please, Kairi wins. I love it. "Okay. Remember you asked for it. Anyway… wouldn't Roxas get… I don't know, aroused or something, and wouldn't Naminé feel it?"

Silence.

Now that was unexpected.

"Wow." I stared at the brunette in front of me. He was right. I would've judged him.

"Kairi, it's not like I took it any farther than that… and uh, you know, maybe that doesn't happen. Well, then again, if nothing happens while sleeping, then certainly when waking up…"

"…" Okaaaay, Sora.

"Ugh, no, that's not what I meant. Forget it. I'm just saying that Roxas might be like that… er, well maybe not, but thinking about it, I probably would… I-I mean! Not with Naminé!" Sora, you should probably stop talking right now. "You know, because I don't like her like that."

"Uh-huh." Seriously. Don't say another word. You'll only make it worse.

"Ugh…" he walked around to the other side and put his bowl in the sink. "What I'm trying to say is, for example, what I described earlier was something that'd happen to me, and maybe Roxas. Like, I don't know, it'd happen if you and I were in the same sleeping bag." He slapped a hand over his mouth and blushed profusely. I looked away, unable to restrain myself from thinking about that. It's like telling me not to think about a green elephant and I go and do it anyway. The exact same thing.

Okay. That did it. "Okaaay."

Awkward silence. Sora still had his hand tightly around his mouth, his eyes clear with embarrassment. "You know what…" he started walking slowly to the kitchen exit. "I think… I left something downstairs."

"Yeah. I think the kids are done talking, so…"

"Yeah…"

"I'm going to…" I pointed toward the living room quickly, letting my arms fall awkwardly to my sides. "I'm going to uh, check on the kids."

"Y-yeah. I'm going to… find that… thing." He darted down the stairs, his steps quickly filling the silence. I let out a shaky breath before meeting the kids in the living room. The conversation seemed to calm down a bit— probably because they were talking to their father.

The twins saw me enter and laughed. "Haha! Kairi's head is red!" Vaan pointed.

"Vaan!" Cloud's voice yelled through the speakerphone. "You don't make fun of people's hair color!"

"No Daddy, even her face!" Penelo added. Well, if there were any doubts about me blushing.

"Penelo." The tone came warningly through the phone.

"It's fine Mr. Strife, I don't mind. I just… uh…" was told by the boy in a basement that he'd get a hard-on if we shared a sleeping bag. "Cleaned the kitchen. My face might be a little red."

"Oh. Okay." He sighed. "Well, I'm done talking with my kids, so I'll hand it over to Tifa. Vaan, Penelo, be good and listen to Kairi, all right?"

"Yeah!"

"We will." Penelo assured. With a quick good-bye, the phone was handed off.

"Hello?" my teacher's voice came over the phone.

"Hey there Miss Lockhart. It's Kairi."

"Hey there! Thanks for cleaning the kitchen, by the way. The kids being good?"

"Yeah. They're angels. We'll probably go to sleep soon since we gotta wake up early tomorrow."

Vaan yawned at the mention of sleep. "Ha, you're… tired…" Penelo tried to tease.

"You are too!" Vaan poked her.

"Am not!"

"Kids, that's enough." There wasn't a trace of anger in her voice. Just warning. "Kairi, call me back when the kids are asleep. I have something to discuss with you anyway."

Oh no. Was I in trouble already? "Okay. I'll call you back soon then!"

"Yeah. Good night, Penelo! Good night, Vaan!"

"Bye Mommy! G'night!" they hung up the phone and hopped off the couch. "Do we have to sleep now?"

"Yes, you do. Parents said so, not me. C'mon, I'll tuck you guys in."

* * *

While the two may not fall asleep immediately, at least they got into bed and stayed. I put the television on a thirty minute sleep timer, which was more than enough time for them to settle into rest. I slowly made my way to the living room, plopping down into a comfortable sofa. It was almost ten… too late to do anything, but too early to sleep. I grabbed my phone and called my coach. I guess there's nothing left to do except get yelled at.

"Hey there Kairi!" Whoa. Fast.

"Hi. What did we need to talk about?"

"Ah, it's about Sora. I hope he isn't causing you trouble."

"No, no, he's, uh, harmless. Just like you said. He… uh…" basically saw me naked and told me how he'd react if we slept together. "We're friends."

"Oh! That's good to hear. Is he with you right now?"

We kind of just had an awkward moment. "No… he's in the basement doing… stuff. I don't know."

"Ah. Well do you think you could call him over? I need to talk with him."

Shit. "Oh, I don't know. It's late, he might be sleeping… or busy or something."

"Kairi, don't be silly. Just call him upstairs."

Damn damn _damn_!

"Okay then." I walked to the basement door and opened it. It was eerily silent. "Huh, you know I think he's in the bathroom or something. The basement is awfully quiet."

"Kairi, did you two get into a fight or something?"

I wish. Anger is easier to deal with than… whatever this is. This is awkwardness to the max. "No, we didn't get into a fight. I'll call him… Sora!"

A few seconds later, his voice answered mine. "K-Kairi?"

Damn.

"Hey Sora, Miss Lockhart wants to talk with you on the phone."

"Tell him to go to you. He needs to leave that basement anyway." Damn again.

"And come up here!" oh boy. Here comes the blush. I'll just walk away from the basement now. "He's coming, he'll be here soon." I walked to the same couch and stared at the T.V.

"Uh, Kairi, you called?"

"Yeah…" I held out the phone. "You should… uh, take this. She wants to speak with you." He walked toward me and took the phone.

"Hello? Yeah hi… oh, okay." He pressed the speakerphone button. "It's on."

"Great. So I heard about the whole car incident." Oh no. "Cloud doesn't though. So you're all good."

"That's quite relieving."

"Definitely…" I agreed.

"Was that Kairi? Hon, you need to come closer to the phone, I didn't understand what you just said."

"I didn't say anything."

"Kairi. I really can't hear you. Please come closer." Great. Sora put the phone down on the couch in between us. There, now it wasn't as awkward.

"Better?"

"Much. I can hear you perfectly now. Sora, you there?"

"R-right here, Tifa!"

"Good. Now let's talk about the car. I take it was Sora's fault."

"It was." He answered immediately. "Kairi wasn't involved in it at all."

"Oh. Had I known that, I would've wanted you only, Sora. Kairi, you can go if you need to."

Part of me wanted to stay and defend Sora, to tell my coach that it wasn't really his fault. And I'm guessing you already know what the other part was wishing. Sora managed to make eye contact with me for a few seconds. I found it hard to look back, but I didn't miss the pleading look that his eyes held. The awkward atmosphere domineered as I scrambled through the many decisions I could make.

What did I do?

"O-Okay…" I got up. "I'll just… go… now. If you could leave my phone on the kitchen counter when you're done… with it…"

So I shuffled out of the living room and went upstairs. Now you want to know what I'm divided on. Part of me is feeling guilty for leaving Sora to fend for himself. That guilt was constantly being suppressed with an assortment of reasoning. The other part of me was relieved to finally be free of that awkwardness.

A sigh escaped my lips. Whether or not it was one of relief or guilt, I didn't know.

* * *

I couldn't sleep.

I think over an hour had passed since I came upstairs. Yet all this time, I've been lying in bed. Ugh. I am such a loser. Feeling guilty over something like that… Sora was perfectly capable of handling himself! I think he knows how to deal with parents. Why did this guilt me so?

"This is so stupid!" I whispered harshly. I didn't even do anything wrong! Wanting to leave the room because I was never intended to hear the conversation should not make me feel guilty! So why is this eating away at me so much?

I made my way downstairs. Out of guilt. I walked to the kitchen, and sat in the same exact spot I had when I talked with him on _that _night. Less than twenty four hours ago, he was a stranger. He was a pervert who could make hot chocolate back then. And in less than twenty four hours, he became a quick friend, he looked a _little_ cuter, and he was still… awkward.

"This is stupid." And it was. Why did I feel guilty over something like this? Unbelievable. I'm going soft. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

I got up from the chair and walked to the basement door. I was going to go down there and apologize. For what, I don't know. But I felt the need to tell him that I was sorry. Stupid, I know. But I had to do it. That or I wasn't going to sleep tonight.

I reached the door and stood there. My heart started beating crazily. What if he was busy? What if he was asleep? What if he was doing… you know, _boy stuff?_ I didn't want to barge in… but I wanted to apologize. I took a step closer to the door and placed my hand on the doorknob. I took deep breaths, trying to prepare myself. Just open the door, walk downstairs, and find Sora. From there, apologize. Easy.

So why haven't I opened the door yet?

I was nervous for no reason. I was guilty for no reason. Everything that led me up to this point was… reasonless. I couldn't do it. I released the doorknob from my unknowingly tight grip.

"I'm sorry."

A shiver ran up my spine at the sound of the apology. It sounded like more than one voice, one more added to my own. I froze in place, too scared to move. Was Sora on the other side? I leaned my ear on the door, wondering if I could hear anything.

It was silent.

"Must've been my imagination…" I slowly pulled away from the door and took a step back. "If you can hear me, Sora… I hope you accept my apology."

* * *

"Kairi! Kairi, wake up!"

What the?

"Kairi, you have to get up! We have to go to camp! Come on! Let's go!"

I slowly opened my eyes to see Vaan hovering over me. I sat up, wiping my eyes and yawning. Penelo was standing silently to the side, looking half-awake.

"Good morning guys…" I was still a little groggy, so the next few actions were completed mechanically. I mean, the next thing I knew, Vaan was leading me down the stairs while Penelo mirrored my steps.

"Kairi! Go faster! Sora made breakfast and we have to go!"

"Vaan, we have at least forty minutes before we have to leave." I mumbled to the younger boy. I was seemingly ignored. Hmm. Sora's cooking breakfast, he said?

"Vaan, did you wake her up?" a boy with spiky brown hair was standing at the oven, a mitt on his left hand and a spatula in another. "Oh. Uh, hey there… I mean, g-good morning, Kairi!" he nervously greeted.

"Morning, Sora." I yawned and buried my face in my arms. Table's pretty comfy. Maybe I'll wait the rest of the forty minutes here.

"Oh, you must still be… uh, kinda sleepy. Hang on." He threw the oven mitt off and fumbled with a mug. "Here you go. Uh, I just… well… enjoy." Incomprehensible. Did anyone else not understand that? I sure didn't.

"Thanks…" I stared at the mug he had given me and observed the contents. Smiling back at me was a hot chocolate. Ah, my coffee equivalent. Amazing.

After the first few sips, I was fully alert. I was finally able to grasp what was going on. So far, I had collected that Sora was cooking us all breakfast; Vaan was bouncing in his chair, making weird sound effects with his mouth, and Penny was sitting silently. How did I end up here?

"You awake?" a voice cautiously asked. I focused my eyes on the blue pair staring back at me. A tinge of red adorned his face and seemed to highlight his features.

"Yeah. It's okay. I'm okay. The hot chocolate… it uh, helped a lot. Thanks." He sighed in relief and pushed some scrambled eggs onto each of the twins' plates. He glanced at me, putting the plate of scrambled eggs in the middle of the table.

"You can… you know, take some if you want to."

"Yeah. I will." I sipped more of my hot chocolate, which by now had a deformed face. The sound of my mug hitting the table seemed to mark the beginning of a silent breakfast.

I was right to an extent. The breakfast was filled with Vaan's excited voice. To think that one day would change him so drastically. Well, it's better than what I had to deal with yesterday.

I caught Sora sneaking glances at me a few times, and every time I made eye contact, he broke it instantly. It was kind of… annoying. In the frustrating way.

It wasn't long until we all finished. Penelo didn't look any more awake than she did twenty minutes ago, Vaan was still as hyperactive as he was fifteen minutes ago, and Sora was still afraid of me. I couldn't blame him though. I wasn't doing any better.

The breakfast ended quietly, so we were out in a few minutes. I dropped the kids off, this time without a commotion, and made my way back to the car. Before I could open the door, my phone began to vibrate. I checked to find Roxas's surprised face on my phone.

"Hey." I answered.

"Hey. You up for a few matches today?"

"Yeah, why not. Same place and time?"

"Yeah. I'll pick you up later than yesterday though. Give you time to mentally prepare yourself to lose."

Ha. Fire me up, why don't you. "We'll see, Roxas. You can use that extra time to tell yourself that you _can_ beat me. I'll call Naminé up to comfort you too."

"Ha. Whatever Kairi. Well, Naminé is waking up now, and I'm gonna walk her home. I'll get ready and come by. Bye."

"See ya later, Roxas." I drove out of the parking lot and made my way out of the area. I had a lot of time to get ready, more so than last time. And Sora was going to be there. Great.

* * *

"Why am I here already?" I slammed my head on the steering wheel. I found myself in a parked car in the driveway of the house where everything all started. Never have I ever had so many awkward moments in one place in such a short span of time.

Which explains why I didn't want to open the front door. I don't think I'd be surprised to walk in there and find a weird sight. Like Sora running around naked or more random people climbing out of the basement. I think I was going numb!

I dragged my feet to the front door and entered the house. Thankfully, I didn't find anything out of the ordinary. Sora was nowhere to be seen, so I made a dash for my bedroom. Hopefully the wait wouldn't seem long…

* * *

That douchebag.

Time passed by pretty quickly. You know, since I fell asleep and woke up forty five minutes later to find that Roxas was still on his way. Had I not fallen asleep, I would have been _very_ pissed. Nonetheless, I was still a little irked.

"Hey there." Roxas greeted as I climbed into his car.

"Hey Roxas. How was your morning? You took a lot longer than I thought." A whole hour? Really, Roxas? Really?

"Good. I actually had breakfast with Naminé." What'd you do, have her for breakfast? "And then I walked her home and got ready. How was yours?"

"Good. Breakfast took that long?"

"Er, yeah…" he looked a little unsettled. "Something wrong?"

Clearly my anger wasn't reaching him. Whatever. "It's nothing. I actually had a pleasant morning. Vaan woke me up early in his excitement."

"Oh. So is this sarcasm? I really can't tell."

"It isn't." I turned off the air conditioning and rolled down my window. "And then I went downstairs to find Sora cooking breakfast. So we all ate together."

"Sora cooked you breakfast?" Roxas smirked as he rolled down his window.

"Yeah. For all of us, not just me. Don't make this more than what this really is."

"Kairi, look at it. The kid woke up early to cook you—"

"_All_ of us!"

"—breakfast. What reason would he have for that?"

Why don't you think about it, Roxas? "Maybe he was hungry." As far as I know, the kid has quite an appetite.

"So he woke up a lot earlier than normal because he wanted to eat? The Sora I know loved sleeping as much as eating."

"People change."

"Not his sleeping habits. How much do you want to bet that he'll be napping sometime this afternoon?"

Huh. Something told me I shouldn't take the bet. So instead of admitting defeat, I had to change the topic. One topic in particular will get Roxas off anything. "Okay, fine. He wanted company for breakfast. Done. Now tell me about you're breakfast with Naminé."

"It was a normal breakfast, Kairi. I don't get what you're aiming at."

"Who cooked?"

"We both did."

"So nothing else happened but breakfast?"

"Yeah. It was normal."

"So you didn't ask her out?"

His answer came delayed this time. "No."

With a tremendous amount of effort, I managed to keep a sigh from escaping my mouth. "Roxas, I'm just wondering… do you ever plan to ask Naminé out?"

He sighed. "Kairi…"

"Just wondering. If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. The only business I have with this is the fact that both you and Naminé are my friends."

"I'm working on it, okay?" He said curtly. "It's just… it's really hard. I don't expect you to understand."

"You know she's waiting for you, right? Actually she's been waiting for the past couple years now. All you have to do is let her know you feel the same way." She won't take my word for it.

"But…"

"Roxas, you guys have liked each other for years! There's been a mutual attraction for _years_ and still you guys are in the flirting stage!"

"Flirting stage? We are?"

Um, duh? "Roxas, you kinda have been for the past… oh, I don't know, four? Five years?"

"Oh." He said dumbly.

"You know all of this already! Why haven't you done anything?"

"Because it's hard!" he answered loudly. I stared at him. Yelling really got the point across. "You don't know what it's like to have to confess to someone… I mean, even with the assurances that your feelings are returned… but it's scary. There's so much to think about… I mean, what happens if things don't work out for us? I've had Naminé around my whole life, and I really can't imagine what life would be like without her?"

"So why do you think that things won't work out between you guys?"

"I didn't say that. Just that it can happen. And as small as that possibility is, it's scary, Kairi."

"You're going to let that tiny little chance keep you from making one of the best decisions you'd probably ever make in your lifetime?" he opened his mouth to retort, so I added, "The decision being Naminé. Who, in fact, could end up as your wife for the rest of your life? That's a life decision. A big one, no?"

"Well…I…"

"Roxas, you can't do this! Do you realize that Naminé has woken up every day a little more hurt than the last? You're not helping her at all by postponing your confession! If anything, you're making it harder for her."

My answer was met with a short silence before his voice broke through, "Is… does it really hurt her?"

"Yes, I'm not lying." I sighed and fiddled with my tennis racket. "She wants you to be hers..."

"I already am!"

"Well then it's not good enough." We arrived at the tennis court a lot faster than we normally did. Both of us hopped out of the car and grabbed our gear. "Are you afraid to commit yourself to her?"

"N-No!" he went red in the face from the question. "It's just that… will it ever be good enough?"

"What?"

"I'm just wondering how long it'll last… I mean, she already knows I love her, yet she wants a more serious relationship so soon…"

"Does she know?" I retorted. He looked at me with a confused look. "Have you told her up straight that you love her?"

"Well, no, but I thought…"

"Ugh, Roxas! You can be such an idiot sometimes!" I stormed onto the court, bouncing every tennis ball before stowing them in my pocket. "You have to tell her. Like, actually say the words."

"But isn't…"

"No, it's not good enough! What can we relate this to… college!" I tossed a ball into the hair and gave it a strong hit. Perfect serve. "How would you like it if you went to a college interview, and you felt like you did everything right and _everything_ about the teachers, the interviewer, the admissions office… what if they all _implied_ that you were undoubtedly accepted there, but they never send you a letter?"

"Huh?"

"Think of it like this: you're _implying_ that you love her. But you know what? She's not getting any confirmation. Send her the damn college acceptance letter, Roxas! Don't give her room to second-guess any of it!"

"So how am I supposed to do that?!" he let a practice serve bounce right by him.

"Are you dumb?!" Noting the bewildered expression on his face, I took it that he was. "Oh my gosh, you're actually for real."

"Um, yeah." He gave me a practice serve of his own, but it was so pitifully off that I didn't bother returning it.

"Okay. Here's what you're going to do. You're going to take Naminé to the park in the middle of downtown for a picnic. You two can do your whole little flirty thing—"

"It isn't flirting!"

"Whatever. And you'll spend the afternoon with her. And when the park is most crowded, I want you to take her to the bridge that crosses over the stream that runs through the park. There, you will drop down to one knee…"

"I'm not proposing, Kairi!" His angry tone was offset by his embarrassed face.

"Yeah, but you'd like to…" I muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing!" I yelled back. "So, fine, don't drop down to one knee. But… you know what, come here." I walked toward the net, and like a reflection in the mirror, he too got closer. "Take my hands." I commanded.

"Why?"

"Take them." He immediately complied. "Now, I want you to confess your undying love for me."

"But you're—"

"Naminé. Now, 'fess up."

"I don't think I can do this. Naminé isn't this commanding."

Oh, she is. You're just too whipped to realize it. "Okay, fine." I cleared my throat and asked in a sweeter voice, "Roxas, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Naminé, I…" he froze on the spot, his eyes darting to mine, the ground, and everywhere else possible. "I…"

"Yes?" I asked anxiously. His face was progressively turning red. I've been getting a little too much of that color lately.

"I… can't do this!" He dropped my hands and rubbed his hands together. "It's not your fault; it's just… even pretending a confession to Naminé is hard!"

Will you grow a pair already? "Roxas, it's okay." I'm sure he needed encouragement more than anything. "You just have to…"

"Man up, apparently."

"Practice or something…" I returned to my end of the court. "Roxas, how about a bet?"

His interest didn't seem to perk up at all. "Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?"

"Let's start with the terms first. If I win, you're my personal servant for the day. And!" I continued, "You have to do whatever I say, regardless of how much you don't want to."

"And if I win this bet? Whatever it is…"

"I'll tell you everything…" Think, Kairi… think! "That… uh… that Sora and I do when we're alone!" Oh yeah. Juicy.

That definitely piqued his interest. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"Did I say something interesting?" I teased, spinning my racket.

"Yeah. What about you and Sora?" he walked toward the net and lightly tapped it with his racket.

"You tell me. What did I say?"

"If I heard correctly, I think you implied that there's something going on between you and Sora."

Wow, that was easy. "Did I now? All I remember saying is that you'd find out what Sora and I did together when we were alone. Don't go making assumptions."

"So why would I accept this bet if there's nothing that you would consider worth hiding?"

"And I'd consider my time with Sora worth hiding because?"

"Well you're not telling me now, are you? So if there was nothing, why put it up as a prize?"

I laughed, trying to bury the maniacal and giddy self that was vying to erupt. "Well now, maybe I'm just playing on your curiosity. But Naminé knows. Or at least, a little about…us…"

"So there's something?"

"Can't say anything until you accept!"

"Why would I accept the bet based on the prize alone?"

So you get used to doing things despite the fear of uncertainty. It's also known as 'living your life.' "Curiosity? Is Roxas afraid of the unknown?"

"If you think teasing me is going to get you anywhere, then fine. I won't accept your bet." He began walking to his side of the court. "You ready?" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Wait." I was not about to lose this fish! I had him _hooked!_ "Upon accepting this bet, I'll tell you how Sora and I really met."

He turned around with a smile. I think he thought he won. Perfect. "How'd you know I didn't believe you?"

"I didn't. But now I know you didn't for sure." See, Roxas? Taking chances can get you places. "Now, I'll tell you the whole story if you accept it. We met after you left. That's all you're getting until you accept."

"I'm interested in everything now." He smirked. "Though I'm kind of afraid to accept this."

"Think of it as a life lesson. That despite all your fears and… anxieties, you still find the strength to leap into the darkness and explore the uncertain future." I laughed with mock profundity.

He smiled. "This better be juicy… I'll do it."

"You'll take the bet?" I smiled victoriously. "Shake on it, no crosses count."

"Kairi, I'm not out to double cross you. I'm taking the bet and I'm either gonna win or lose." He shook my hand. "Now you have to tell me how you and Sora really met."

"You don't want to hear the bet first?"

"No, I'd rather watch you squirm for the next couple minutes. So? How about it now?"

* * *

I told him the story, and of course, he got a good laugh out of it. We were sitting in the shade on one of the benches since I told him the story might take a while.

"I can't believe he saw you in a towel!" he laughed harder every time he said it. That was the… I don't know, umpteenth time?

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get a good laugh out of that detail now."

His eyes were actually watering from laughter. "That's incredibly awkward…" he took a few deep breaths before he continued, "did you like what you saw?"

He actually had the gall to tease me! "Roxas! What kind of question is that?!"

"Wow, you liked it, didn't you?!" he prodded. I was definitely blushing. It's okay, Kairi. All in due time.

"Don't assume things."

"This makes me all the more eager to win. So, what's the bet anyway?"

I smirked evilly. Finally. "You have five days to confess your feelings to Naminé."

Silence. "What?"

"You have five days to confess your feelings to Naminé." I repeated. "And if by the end of the fifth day, you have not, then I win. Otherwise, on the condition that you do in fact complete your task by the assigned time, I'll tell you about Sora and me. Sound good?"

"W-wait a second! Only five days?" he asked with a panicked tone. Oh, so the tables have turned!

"Yes only five days! Aren't you glad I didn't make it by tonight? Or three days?"

"How about a week?" he squeaked. Aww, Poor little Roxas!

"That's much too long. You've had years!" And I have no idea why I've never thought of this before! Well, then again, I wasn't living with a boy named Sora for years.

"K-Kairi! You can't rush these things!"

"I'm not rushing anything. You don't have to do it in the assigned time, but that means you lose…"

"Kairi!"

"Quit whining, you baby. You're lucky I didn't force you to do it in a romantic setting. All you have to do is confess to her. And believe me, I'll know."

He opened his mouth, probably to give me another futile excuse, before he closed it and looked at me with a crestfallen expression. Jeez, it's not the end of the world.

"These are the conditions you've accepted!" I told him. "It's all up to you now!"

"Kairi…"

"Cheer up, will you? I'm doing you a favor! In five days, why, you might be making out with her!"

"W-what?!" he was going red. I wanted to laugh at him. So I did in my mind.

"Let's play! And as much as I want you guys to get together, I don't want to hear any stories of you and Naminé seeing each other in nothing but bath towels." I smiled brightly.

* * *

I won every single game. Which meant I won every single set. Which meant that we were able to play more matches than usual, which meant I _won a lot_. It evened out the record between Roxas and me. Needless to say I was quite happy with the day. Roxas on the other hand, was more preoccupied with his time constraints. I wonder if he noticed he lost.

"Hey there Roxas! Not dreaming up naughty thoughts, are we? "

"I'm not doing anything like that!"

"Good." I pulled down the mirror and checked my hair. Hey, it was still decent-looking after all that! What a lucky day. "Because sex isn't required for a love confession. I hope you're not considering that kind!"

"K-Kairi!" I laughed at him. What a pitiful state he was in. Oh well, he'll get over it.

"Aww come on! I'm just teasing!"

"Whatever…" he grumbled. The air was blasting on its highest setting, yet it had no effect on making that blush disappear.

"If I may add really quickly, your face is redder than my hair."

"Kairi, do you want to walk home?"

"You know, I wouldn't mind that from here, since we're only a couple… oop, never mind, we're in the driveway!" I told him cheerily. "I had so much fun today. You up for tomorrow morning?"

"Sora's party is tonight, isn't it? Don't know if I'll wake up in time…" he rested his head on the steering wheel. "What am I going to do…?"

"Pick up Naminé! That's an order!" I hopped out of the car, pulling my stuff out after me. "Act normal. You have five days, Roxas. You don't have to do it today if you're not comfortable. Here…" I tossed some munny into his car, earning another bewildered look. "Take Naminé on a date. Don't confess unless you're feeling up to it. And don't let my munny sit around either!"

He shook his head a few times and nodded. "Y-yeah. I'll do that."

"Good boy." I closed the door and practically bounced to the doorstep. "Bye Roxas! Have fun!" I waved him off, and adding to my happiness, it looked like he recovered a bit.

I turned the doorknob and stepped inside, looking around the room. Sora had headphones on, lightly swaying as he mopped the flower. "Hmm. Smells kinda lemony." I said loudly. He quickly turned around and took off his headphones.

"K-Kairi! Did you just…. Did you just get here?"

"Yup!" that sounded awfully bubbly for me, but I didn't care. I had Roxas hooked on a bet and I won every single match we played today. Life was good. "Jeez, we played an hour longer than usual! It was so hot outside. Do I look okay?"

"You look…"

"You know what, don't answer that. I checked just a while ago, and I looked fine!" He stared at me for a while before sniggering. "What? Was it something I said?"

"No, it's not that… it's just, I don't know, you seem really… happy. Carefree."

You'd be this happy if you were me too! "I've had a good day so far! And what are you talking about? You're always happy! With that adorable little smile on your face…"

"Kairi, wait, it's wet there!"

"Whe—" Oops. Next thing I knew, I was falling backwards. The pain on my bottom, however, didn't come as I thought it would. "What the?"

"I gotcha!" someone called from under me. Well, it was more behind me than anything. I looked down and saw a lean pair of arms around my waist, and, turning around, I met with Sora's smiling face. "That was a close one there."

I looked at him, then his arms, and then him again. He immediately retracted his arms and tried to back away. He failed at that because I was sitting on one of his legs. "That…"

"Sorry Kai—"

"Was so _cool!_" I finished. He must've done some awesome ninja move or a… a slide or something! "How did you do that? Thanks for saving me from major butt pain too! Wow!"

He laughed; the tension his body locked into began to release. "I kinda… slid. Floors were wet, it wasn't too hard to get here fast." He scratched the back of his head. "You're welcome…" he looked away.

"You are quite something!" I patted his head. "I never thanked you for breakfast, did I? Well, thank you for breakfast! Thank you for breakfast and for saving me."

"Er, it wasn't…" he began slowly.

"Oh, don't tell me you're all awkward over last night! That's in the past now!" he gulped and looked down. I too discovered that my hand was still resting on his upper thigh. "Oops! Sorry about that."

"Don't mention it…" he laughed nervously.

"Anyway, I'm gonna shower!" I picked myself up off the floor and looked at the staircase. He did the same exact thing, minus the staircase watching. "You stop cleaning too!"

"I'm actually almost done, so…"

Oh. "Well, then finish! And then get yourself ready. I'm feeling fast food today, and you're invited!"

"Huh?" he tilted his head, causing me to giggle like a school girl. So cute!

"We're gonna get fast food! You know, unhealthy but delicious? Kills you if you eat too much? That kind!"

"Yeah, I got that part… are you saying I'm going with you?"

"Only if you want to!" I replied happily.

"Sure! I want to!" he replied with a wide smile. My gosh, nothing was gonna get me down from this high.

"Great! Be ready when I get down! And dress for outside, we're going to the park afterwards!" I ran up the stairs, listening to the laughs I had elicited from Sora.

I could already tell that today was going to be one of the best I've ever had in a while.

* * *

"Sora, are you ready?" I called as I ran down the stairs. What an amazing shower. Or maybe it was amazing because I was so happy and found everything about today amazing. For example, the shampoo bottle did an amazing job acting as a microphone. Yes, I was so happy that I sang in the shower. It's not like that's unusual now, right?

Today was worthy of my favorite outfit. What made it more awesome was how simple it was: a white tank top with a pink jacket that doubled as a dress. Undoubtedly one of the coolest combinations of clothing ever. I few zippers adorned the jacket just for style. "It's the perfect complement to your whole body!" is what the designer told me. I couldn't agree more. I reached the bottom of the stairs and ran to the couch. I was wearing a new pair of white shoes today.

"Yeah, right here!" I looked up to see him emerge from the basement wearing an interesting outfit. A blue shirt with a red pocket and black jacket covered his torso, while a pair of long, black shorts with golden bands hung loosely around his waist. The outfit was completed with black and gold shoes. He blushed when we made eye contact. "You, uh, look great in that." He looked away nervously.

I accepted his thanks with a giggle. "You don't look too bad yourself, Sora. You ready to go?"

He nodded enthusiastically. Ready when you are!"

"Great!" I finished tying the black laces around my legs, making a perfect bow. Nothing less than perfect today! "So, I'm feeling…"

* * *

Sora and I chatted about… well, just about everything. Ourselves, our friends, our plans for the future… I learned a lot about him. By the time lunch was finished, we were laughing like best friends. It was kind of odd how well we clicked together, but I put that thought in the back of my mind. After all, I was having a perfect day. Anything would click with me right now.

"Hey Kairi…"

"Yes?" I kicked a small pebble ahead of me before my gaze met his cerulean eyes. Quite beautiful, I must say. Though, he'd probably find it strange if I called his eyes beautiful. Guys don't like that stuff, right?

"Kairi? Did you hear me?" his eyebrows scrunched in concern. I giggled at the examination. Everything he did today made me giddy.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"I was wondering why you're so happy today. I mean, I'm sure you were happy yesterday, but today you seem quite… radiant." He finished with a cheesy smile.

I couldn't help but giggle. "Well, Sora, I actually accomplished a lot this morning."

"Are you going to tease me and leave me hanging or are you actually gonna tell me?"

"That depends." I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing. It was the head tilt! There it was!

"On what?"

"On… whether or not you want to swing. If you do, then I'll tell you!" I ran towards the nearest empty swing set, laughing at his surprised expression. "Come on! You know you want to!"

I had already gained a little momentum before Sora hopped on the swing next to me. "So are you going to tell me now?" he cast a side glance at me, a smirk on his face.

"You forgot to say please!"

"Pleeeeaaase?" he gave me his attempt at the puppy eyes. I burst out laughing.

"Ha ha! You obviously don't realize how cute you are." I turned to him, surprised at my own words. Oops, I said that out loud?

He laughed as a blush crept onto his face. "Ha. Thanks…" he looked out into the distance, his hair moving with every forward and backward motion.

"It's true. I'm surprised you don't drive other girls wild with your smile." I complimented.

"You mean this one?"

I blushed. "Are you trying it on me?"

"Depends. Only if it's working." He laughed and looked away. Something I wasn't going to admit: it was.

"So, where were we? I was going to tell you the reason why I'm on a happy high, right?"

"Sure, if that's what you call this."

I proceeded to tell him all about the bet and matches with Roxas. He found it as entertaining as I did. When I reached the part about me telling Roxas how we really met, his eyes widened in surprise.

"You didn't mind telling him?"

"Well, I haven't told you what the bet was. You'd see that it was worth it. Should I not have told him?"

"No, it's fine. I don't mind at all. Was just wondering if you purposely avoided telling him because it was embarrassing and all…"

"It was. But now that I look back on it, it's just something to laugh about. Don't you think?"

"Yeah," he looked up and laughed. "I guess you're right. Got more to tell me?"

I gave him the rest of the story, smiling as I watched him laugh. I eventually joined in the laughter when he fell off the swing.

"Kairi, you are quite cruel for putting the words 'sex' and 'Naminé' in the same sentence and directing it at Roxas."

"Don't make me seem like the bad guy! I was just teasing him!" I stuck my tongue out at Sora, eliciting a snicker.

"Poor guy…"

"Yeah… especially if he loses." I added.

"What would you make him do?"

"You seriously can't think of what I would make him do?" he shook his head. "Make him confess his feelings, of course!"

A wide smile began to spread over his face. "Wow, there is just no way out for him now, huh?"

"Nope." I began to pick up speed. "Are you up for a little game of our own?"

"It's not a bet, is it?"

"No. Let's just see who can jump the farthest." I was already swinging as high as I could go. "Looks like I'll be going first!" I waited for the right moment before I leapt off. I landed perfectly a few meters away. "Let's see you beat that!"

"That?" he asked as he swung with more force. "That's not hard at all."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

"Your loss." He made his leap and landed almost two meters more than me. Great. "Ha. Told ya."

"You got lucky!" I crossed my arms and pouted, making him laugh.

"What do I win? Besides the glory of sweet victory."

I began to take slow, individual steps toward him. "You… win… a… tickle attack!"

"Uwah!" His hands reacted fast, trying to swat my hands away. "S-stop, Kairi! Ha ha!"

"But it's working!" he finally grabbed my hands and pried them away from his sides. "And you won it, so…"

"If I knew that was the prize, I wouldn't have bothered!" he was holding my hands tightly. Nevertheless, I still tried to reach his sides. "You're not… gonna stop, are you?" he struggled to keep my hands away, as I got the occasional poke in.

"Not until you get the rest of your prize." I smirked devilishly.

"Well then…" he pulled me towards his body, and, I don't know how he did it, but I suddenly found my back to him and my arms locked in a cross against myself.

"Hey!"

"You asked for this…"

"N-No! Wait!" Too late. He found my weak spot. I began laughing and flailing wildly, trying to break out of his tickle hold. It was futile. He really had me locked in place, and nothing I did was working. "S-Sora! It tickles!"

He laughed at the obvious fact. "Well, no kidding! And it's going to keep tickling until you apologize!"

"N-No!" I managed to gasp in between my laughs. "I refuse!"

"Then… you'll get… this until you apologize!" I managed to get my hands free, but I was powerless to break the hug. I could see through my watery eyes as many people smiled endearingly at us. Yeah, thanks for doing nothing!

"S-Sora! I can't take much m-more!" I was gasping for air.

"Then say you—"

"Whoa!" The falling feeling was tickling my stomach once again, and I landed on a sturdy body with an "oof!" I looked around and saw the sky in front of me. Huh, that's funny, that thing should be above me.

"K-Kairi…" the brunette coughed from behind me.

"Oh my gosh!" I got off him and turned around to check on him. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. That took me by surprise." He scratched the back of his head. I stood up and brushed myself off. Sora watched me with a seemingly unbreakable gaze

"Here." I offered him a hand, which he firmly took. Unfortunately, he was heavier than I thought; as soon as I got him up and off the ground, I lost my own balance and fell forward.

Right on top of him again.

He let out a few coughs before whispering, "Jeez, knocked the wind right out of me…"

"Sorry about that…" my eyes found his, commanding my full attention. They were a mere few inches away from my own, those bright, azure eyes. I couldn't look away, nor could I move. They bore deeply into my own, sending shivers down my spine.

What was happening to me? I felt a lot hotter, and a strange feeling began to stir inside me. My hands clenched into fists, tightly grasping his shirt. He slowly began to sit up, his breathing getting heavier. I could feel my heart pounding. Pounding so loudly against my chest, as if it were to burst out.

What was this feeling?

"K-Kairi…" his breathy voice penetrated my mind as I felt his arms curl around my body. I shivered when my bare skin brushed against his. It was a suffocating feeling, but it wasn't at all unpleasant. It was an uncontrollable desire to… feel him. To kiss him.

That's it. Kissing him would make this feeling go away. Just… one… tiny…kiss…

It was like a dream. Slowly, we moved closer together, and my eyes began to shut. The atmosphere was heavy, but there was this irresistible urge to just _act._ It was beyond my control now. Every part of me, every fiber of my being, felt the tug, the overwhelming power of my heart's command. The last thing I saw was his blue eyes. Those very eyes that had me mesmerized, aching for some form of release or closure. With my heart beating rapidly, I completely gave in, surrendering in hopes of discovering the bliss of his kiss.

_**RING RING RING RING RING!**_

"Huh?!" we simultaneously darted away from each other and looked around frantically. I felt around my pocket and pulled out my phone.

It was an alarm reminding me to pick the kids up in ten minutes.

"The kids…" I whispered to myself. I looked at Sora, who was as red as a cherry. "Sora… the, uh… the kids are going to be out in ten minutes."

"H-huh?" he snapped himself out of his thoughts and looked at me. "Uh, right!" he got up from the ground and offered me a hand. I took it, and as a result, sent a shiver running through my body. He easily pulled me up and took his hand back as quickly as he could.

"Let's go!" I managed to maintain my upbeat and happy self and walked backwards to the car. "We haven't got all day you know!"

"Yeah!" he nodded and followed me. I turned myself around, knowing that I was bound to fall if I hadn't.

Now, what exactly just happened? I fell down, and the next thing I know I have this uncontrollable urge to kiss the cute brunette who was walking behind me. I was still a little shaky from the incident. Were we about to kiss? I mean, my eyes closed at the end, and…

Wait. Was he going to kiss me back?

I quickly stole a glance at Sora, who was rubbing his face with his hands. I couldn't help but blush at the thought. I was about to kiss him? And he was going to kiss me back?

Something about that thought made me giggle out loud. Why did that make me so damn _happy_?

"Something funny?" I heard him ask. I turned around to see Sora with the faintest traces of a blush.

"It's nothing… just… happy, is all!"

He smiled. "That's good to hear. For a second I thought that you'd… er, be mad at me…" his voice grew very quiet by the end, but I managed to catch his words. "You know what, never mind. You're happy, and that's all that matters!" he flashed me a grin.

"Glad to see you share my sentiments!" I laughed. I began to rub the goosebumps out of my arms.

Was I actually falling for Sora?

I haven't known him long enough though! I mean, we just met and everything, and sure, he's really cute, and yes, we like a lot of the same things and he's really funny and—

"Kairi, isn't the car that way?" Sora pointed in the opposite direction towards a familiar looking vehicle. It was mine.

"Oh! Right! That way!" I passed the smirking brunette with a smile of my own. "Come on Kairi! Focus!" I lightly slapped my cheeks. Needless to say, my mind was filled with thoughts of Sora the whole walk to the car. What was happening to me? Why was I feeling this way? Every question that rose pertaining to Sora pointed to a logical answer, one that rang in my head by the voice of Naminé.

"_You like him."_

* * *

We arrived at the house in what felt like mere minutes. Sora and I conversed about random things after the children fell asleep in the backseat. He offered to help me bring them inside, which I graciously accepted.

We laid the kids on the sofa, and I sighed in content as I looked around the house. "You did a really good job cleaning."

"Yeah, I couldn't help it. Just have to have everything perfect before the party, you know?"

"Yeah…" I took off my shoes and placed them at the front door. "Which part of the house will you be using?"

"Just the basement and the pool. I'm pretty sure that it'll be the basement early on and then the pool when it's late. Do you mind?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. Just make sure no one goes upstairs while they're here."

"Yeah, of course." The room became quiet as we ran dry on a topic of conversation. He settled into a recliner and sighed.

"Hey…" I folded my hands behind my back. "Do you think you could watch the kids for a second? I have to get something upstairs."

"Leave it to me!" He gave me a thumbs up as I climbed the stairs. I was finally out of his company! I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding and sent a text to Naminé, asking her to call me as soon as she could. Not even thirty seconds later, my phone was ringing.

"Naminé!"

"Kairi, is something wrong?"

"No, no… it's nothing. Nothing's wrong with me. I just had a question or two for you."

"Oh." She sounded a little disappointed, but I could tell she was smiling on the other end. "Ask away."

"Okay, first question… did Roxas take you out today?"

"Yeah. Apparently someone gave him munny, so he decided to have lunch and see a movie. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, just making sure everything's okay between you two."

"Why? Should there be something wrong?"

"No, of course not. Just checking up on you two! You know me… always…" Kairi, suck it up and ask the question you really want to ask already! "Anyway, the question I really wanted to ask you…"

"Yes?"

"Have you and Roxas ever come close to kissing?" I shut my eyes and asked as quickly as possible. Needless to say, I was met with a few seconds of silence.

"Um, that's a weird question to ask…" she said uncomfortably.

"Oh, it's okay really, you don't have to answer! I just— ugh, forget it! I never asked. It was a really dumb question, and I was just curious, so…"

"Kairi, relax. It's not too bad. And to answer your question… no, we've never had an 'almost kiss' moment. Why do you ask?"

"I… I was just wondering if you know what that feels like, so… er, yeah, just curious."

"Kairi, did something happen?" Should I tell her? It wouldn't hurt to tell her. But would she be discouraged to know that something like this happened between people who barely know each other while she and Roxas have been together for so long? What if she tells other people? Well, that can be promised on that she won't… "Kairi? You there?"

"Oh, yeah!" I snapped out of my reverie, deciding that Naminé deserved to know. "What I'm about to tell you… you can't tell anyone, alright? Not even Roxas!"

"You have my word. This better be juicy."

"Well… okay, this is really weird, but… I think Sora and I had one of those 'almost kissed' moments."

Silence.

Naminé coughed on the other end of the line. "Ahem, care to repeat that?"

"Do I have to?" I whined.

"To make sure I heard correctly." I couldn't tell whether or not she was happy or jealous at this point. Both feelings would be entirely possible. I just hoped it wouldn't be jealousy, or I was doing more damage than good.

"Sora and I almost kissed! Or at least, I think we did." I added with a much calmer, lower voice. Please don't be mad, please don't be mad at me…

"AWWWWWW!" she cooed. "That's so cute!" she giggled hysterically on the other end, her comments lost between her laughs and gasps for air. Despite the relieving feeling that washed over me, I still couldn't help but blush.

"Naminé! This is serious!"

"Already?" she couldn't stop herself from laughing. "Kairi, you move quite fast! Don't you think—"

"Naminé, you know I didn't mean it that way!"

"Rain on my parade, why don't you!" she seemed to have caught my little happy high. I calmed down a bit, but I couldn't deny that today had been a great one so far.

"Naminé, I know it's something for you to be happy about…"

"You mean to say you're not?" she said, her voice much more sober this time.

"I…" She had a point there. Was I happy with what happened? Of course it bothered me, but… what did I feel about it? "I guess you could say I was… flattered…"

"Flattered?" she asked skeptically. "That's a weird feeling to get from an 'almost kissed' moment."

"You know… flattered because he would've…"

Until now, I never really grasped the reality of that moment. That cute brunette watching the kids downstairs for me was going to kiss me back.

"Are you going to finish that sentence for me? Well, more for you, because it probably just dawned on you now that he would've—"

"Kissed me back." Holy crap. It wasn't just me about to kiss Sora, or Sora about to kiss me… we were about to kiss _each other._ "Naminé, help."

"What do you expect me to do?"

"I don't know! Something! Don't let this happen to me!"

"You sound like it's a bad thing. You don't want this to be happening?"

"Well, I do, it's just… well, I kind of don't… Naminé, don't you think it's going too fast?! I've never kissed someone like that before!"

"Neither have I. Isn't it wonderful to have that first kiss with someone you like?"

"Naminé, I've known him for two days! Well, less than that! I've known this guy for…for…"

"But you like him, right?"

"But it's going too fast!" I deliberately avoided answering that question.

"Kairi, maybe it was meant to be. You tell me that all the time. Surely you believe what you say, don't you?"

"I do, it's just…" I let out a heavy sigh before continuing, "I'm scared. I've had guys ask me out before, but I've never…"

"Liked them they way they liked you?"

"_Considered_ them." I half-corrected. She sighed, but allowed me to continue. "And, this is movie-esque and everything, but why is it happening so fast?"

"How do you know it's happening so fast, Kairi? Fast compared to what?"

"To everyone! People don't just fall for each other like that! That's ridiculous!"

"That's what you think, Kairi. And today, or yesterday even, you found out you were wrong."

"Okay, so I was wrong then! But I still think I…"

"Fell for him awfully hard, didn't you?" she teased. I was lucky she couldn't see how much I was blushing. "Kairi, listen to me. These things occur at varying rates. I know that sounds stupid, but it's true. It may seem like it's going really fast for you…"

"This could be infatuation!"

"It could. But I personally don't think so." You also think that Sora and I make a cute couple, so that's not saying much. "Listen. Don't do anything rash, okay?"

"You sound like you're making your closing statement."

"That's because I am. Roxas will be over soon. Plus, we'll have time to talk at the party. Now, don't do anything stupid, all right? Just… act normal until we can talk about this more."

"Good, because there are a lot of things we still need to discuss."

"Right. Anyway, take the whole thing in stride and… just go with the flow for now. If you think something's wrong, just step back, take a deep breath, and find a solution."

"Yeah, sure." I opened the door to my room and made my way to the stairs. "Gotcha. We have to talk at the party, all right?"

"We will, Kairi. Roxas is crossing the street right now. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks Naminé. For everything."

"My pleasure. Bye." She hung up the phone as I made my first steps downward. Act normal. That's all I have to do…

"Sora? The kids okay?" the living room came into view, and I immediately closed my mouth. Sora decided to join the kids' nap time. He lightly snored every now and then, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

_**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.**_

Way to crush the tranquil and quiet scene laid out before us. I ran down the rest of the stairs and stood before the door. Who in the world could be here at such a time? The party wasn't going on for a while, and Miss Lockhart never told me that I should be expecting visitors.

I cautiously opened the door and peeked around the small space I had made. My eyes widened in surprise at the person before me.

"Hey there."

* * *

RE: I have quite a bit of people to thank here! **Electron Beam,-Gothic-Rainbow-, SecretAgent99, Zettai Eniguma, SilverClock, kikofreako, KHgatomon3444, EloquentDisaster, Dynasty021, ShadowSpooky.** Thank you very much for your continued support!

Of course, I'd like to thank the new faces that were kind enough to leave a review (or two![or three!]) as well! Big thanks to **mattjesse,iluvkingdomheartz, kingdommad, Fanfiction Fanatiction, IConcurVehemently, JuneBaby95, SoraxKairi7, Princess of blah blah blah, The Swanton Bomber, **and **msdramaqueeny!**

Of course, I'd like to thank everyone who added this story to their alerts or favorites list. Thanks for reading the chapter, everyone! I'll see you around!


	7. The Party

Chapter 7: The Party

I woke up to the sound of Kairi's angelic laughter.

I slowly opened my eyes, smiling to myself. She was probably still really happy. It was nice seeing Kairi in that kind of mood. Not only did it make me feel really comfortable around her, but it also made me feel… well, it was a new feeling. Let's just say that I wanted her to be like that all the time, and a part of me strived and hoped that I would be the smile never left my face as I got up from the recliner.

My spine went stiff and my smile disappeared when I heard a masculine voice from the kitchen, eliciting a giggle from Kairi. Was Kairi expecting someone? I quickly and quietly made my way to the kitchen entrance and made sure to stay hidden. Kairi was leaning on the counter with a huge smile on her face, conversing with the boy behind the open refrigerator door. The door soon closed to reveal a boy with long silver hair.

Riku!

As much as I wanted to jump out and say hi, I restrained myself from doing so. Instead of paying attention to their conversation ( heard something about meatballs and blitzballs), I focused all of my attention on their mannerisms. Kairi had said that she knew Riku at lunch, but I never thought they'd be so… friendly. I watched them carefully, noticing how Riku was more upbeat than usual. Was that only around her? Or was it because he was having a good day like Kairi? Thoughts and paranoia began to overtake my mind: what exactly was the relationship between Riku and Kairi?

They seemed awfully comfortable with each other. Sure, Kairi jumped at the mention of Riku, but I mostly credited that to the first and only name she recognized. And when I asked about how well she knew him, she implied that they were barely friends. The scene I was witnessing said otherwise. In fact, they spoke to each other as if they were old friends, acted as if they've spent a lot of time in each other's presence.

The way she spoke to him… the way she flipped her hair and laughed… all of it was similar to the time that I had spent with her. Was I wrong to think that I was starting to grow on her? I've long since accepted that I was attracted to her. But did she see me in that light at all? Everything that happened between us today was the most fun I've had in ages. Would it have happened if she never made that bet with Roxas? Would she have invited me to lunch had she not won those matches?

My mood fell slightly at the thought. I never thought of it like that before, but… it's entirely possible.

But we almost kissed! That sole event was a beacon of hope, of chance, if anything. Then again…

She went on acting as if nothing happened. She continued to be that upbeat, bubbly Kairi I liked so much.

Did it mean anything to her? Were we just caught up in the moment, was it meaningless infatuation? Was it possible to have feelings for someone you've known for two days? The sight before me had me unconvinced. Maybe Kairi was just like that with everyone. Maybe I was foolish to think I had anything special with her. Kairi, the girl who I have known for less than two days…

I strange sensation stirred within me, this one much different than what I felt earlier today. It was almost… painful. Disappointment? Sadness? Was it even jealousy?

"I'll go check on Sora. He's been snoozing long enough."

Uh oh. "No need!" I casually walked from my hiding spot. "Riku! You're here already?" I managed to convincingly sound surprised. At the current moment, seeing my best friend again was the dominant feeling, and I could truthfully say I had a genuine smile on my face.

"Sora." He returned the smile, albeit much more controlled. "How've you been? I see you're just the same as ever."

"Old habits die hard." I took a seat at the table. Kairi did the same, and Riku remained at the counter. I inwardly cheered. "How long have you been here?"

"He got here when I came downstairs. So maybe, I don't know, half an hour ago?" Kairi explained.

"Yeah. I got here early hoping to talk with you. Little did I know Kairi over here was going to answer the door. Though, I was pleasantly surprised." Kairi giggled when he finished. How was that funny?

"I didn't know you were coming. If I did, I would've cleaned myself up a bit." What's wrong with the way you are now?

"Kairi, you look fine. And today, you seem better than ever." He complimented casually. Before any anger could bubble forth, he added, "Don't you think, Sora?"

"Y-Yeah…" I answered after a short pause. "You look great the way you are now." Okay, so Riku kind of helped me out there.

"Aww, thanks Sora!" she giggled. "Anyway, time to get to work. You got here early to prepare for the party, right?"

"Not exactly. Mostly just wanted to catch up with Sora." I shot him a smile.

"Well, now you can do both. Come on Sora. Let's get the coolers and ice from his truck."

"Right!" I stood up and followed Kairi to the door, Riku right behind me. He had a small smile on his face the whole time.

"Well, now that we're here… you two go outside. It's kind of hot, and I'll keep an eye on the kids."

"Hey! That's not fair!" While it wasn't, I had no problem with it. I had no problem doing Kairi's heavy-lifting.

"Wiggled your way out of this one, have you?"

"Yup!" She teasingly stuck her tongue out at us. "Go on now! You guys can do your whole catch-up thing and everything." She sauntered over to the recliner I had napped in and plopped down. "Don't mind me!"

"We won't." Riku nudged me with his elbow. "C'mon. Let's get the stuff." I gave my silver-haired friend a quick nod and followed him outside. As expected, he still quite a bit taller than me. I quietly sighed. I was never going to reach his height. "Sora."

"Huh? Yeah?" The short address was nothing unusual of Riku, but it still caught me by surprise.

"You didn't tell me you were living with Kairi!" he teased. "How long has this been going on?"

"It's nothing like that!" I could already tell my ears, if not my whole face, had turned scarlet.

"Of course not." He grabbed the other cooler and made his way to the door. "We have a lot to talk about, Sora."

"We do?" What, it's not we had much catching-up to do anyway…

"Let's get this done first. Then you have a lot of explaining to do."

Now I was thoroughly confused.

* * *

Setting up for the party had progressed smoothly, with the digital clock reading 6:00 PM. The kids eventually woke up, so Kairi took them upstairs to entertain them. Riku and I went to the basement to finish preparations.

"You still haven't answered why Kairi's here."

"She's babysitting… should I have the pool table set up, or switch it to ping pong?"

"Pool should be fine." He took a can of soda from my private stash. Damn. "You know a lot of guys would kill to be in the spot you're in."

"I know, right?!" I looked around the basement excitedly. "I have everything here! You wouldn't believe how amazing it is."

"Well, I wasn't talking about that, but I guess you're right. I'll find out for myself, I'm crashing here for tonight."

There he goes. Inviting himself over and taking advantage of my (and Tifa's) hospitality. "Figures."

We worked more in silence, watching the clock as we did so. Pizza would be arriving in an hour, people in an hour and fifteen. We were set.

"How long has Kairi been sharing this house with you?"

"It's not just Kairi, you know. The kids are around too." I corrected. The look he gave me, however, showed that he wanted answers. "Okay, fine. I've known Kairi for less than two days. Two nights ago. We met two nights ago."

"Over dinner or something?"

That would have saved us a lot of trouble. "Not exactly."

"Something about that tone tells me there's a story behind this meeting."

"No,there—"

"Tell me."

"Okay." So I told him all about that night. In fact, he made me go on without saying anything. I told him about how we had lunch with Roxas and Namine, about the shopping, about my unnecessary and embarrassing comment. He was never going to let me live that one down.

Riku was still trying to recover from the latest story when he finally gasped, "I can't believe you said that!"

"It was out before I could even think about it!" I defended. My face felt hot when I thought about the memory. I really wish that never happened. But then you all would miss out on a good laugh.

"Sounds like you've been having a lot of fun with Kairi." He said thoughtfully. "What'd you do today? You know, before I got here. Don't tell me you played video games all day."

"No… Kairi actually invited me to lunch with her."

"How ni— wait, she did what?" he asked in a hushed tone. Are we trading secrets or something?

"She invited me to go out and grab some fast food. Something wrong with that?"

"Yeah. She took you out for a date, Sora."

As happy as I was to hear that, and despite the fluttering feeling inside me, I lamely replied, "Nuh uh."

He was convinced that he was right. "Kairi has never asked someone out to lunch. Well, as far as I know."

I took advantage of the opportunity laid out before me. "And how well do you know Kairi, exactly?"

"What's it to you?" he countered with a smile. I opened my mouth to reply, but he shook his head. "Kairi and I have been friends for a while. You can leave us in an empty room and we'd be comfortable with each other for an hour or two. Let's leave it at that for now." Okay, thanks, that really doesn't tell me anything. "Seems to me that you've piqued her interest. You must be packing heat under all those clothes of yours." He laughed at me.

"Riku!"

"I'm just kidding, relax." He walked over to the basket full of remote controls and turned on the ceiling fan. The basement rarely had a problem with heat; in fact, it was actually always cool. But with all the people coming tonight, it didn't hurt to bring the temperature down a bit. "So tell me how this lunch went."

"Why are you so interested to hear about Kairi and me?" I asked suspiciously. Feelings of jealousy and suspicion began to boil inside me.

"Just wondering. What do you have to hide, anyway?"

He had me there. "Well… nothing, I guess. Except that it's my business, of course." I began to walk around in circles. "We went to the park afterward. We went on the swings, and I jumped farther than her." I smiled to myself at the memory. "I actually won a tickle attack. Not the best prize in the world, if you ask me."

"Sounds to me like you two were flirting an awful lot." He added with a smirk on his face. I wondered if that was true at all.

"Well… in my effort to turn the tables, I lost balance. She kind of fell on top of me, so that effectively ended the tickle fight." My face grew hot and took on a crimson hue as I told him what happened afterwards. "When she tried to help me up, she kinda fell on top of me again. And… and somehow, I don't know what exactly made me do it, but I… I tried to kiss her, Riku!"

Riku was merely nodding to my whole story before that final detail, which resulted in a choking and coughing companion. My mind took a second to entertain a few thoughts on the dramatic turn my life could've taken had he died right then and there. Wow, that was awfully childish.

"You did _what?"_ he asked with a bewildered look.

"I tried to kiss her." I said miserably. How many times would I have to say it?

"Your implication is that you didn't succeed." I didn't react at all. Of course I didn't succeed. Had I actually succeeded, I'd be screaming from the top of this mountain.

"Because I didn't." I told him shortly. He still had a small smile on his face.

"The fact that you're standing is saying something. Like I said, a lot of guys would kill to be where you are."

Wait a second. "You mean with Kairi?" And not in this basement?

"Yeah. I've seen a lot of people in school who were interested in Kairi. Of course, they were either too afraid to take that leap or they saw that their cause was futile. Those brave enough were kindly turned down. Kairi's made it apparent that she has no interest in dating anyone that she herself isn't attracted to."

Kairi's one of those girls that everybody wants? The thought made me feel all the less special. If I needed another thing to tell me that she wasn't interested (and I didn't need or want more things), well, this was just another blow. "So…"

"Of course, Kairi is nice about it. She gets along well with guys." He continued. He let out a short laugh before saying, "Kairi's the adventurous type. Sporty, too. You might see that tonight."

"Uh-huh…" I absently replied. Was I foolish to think that I had anything? I hadn't gained any ground, had I? It was all just me and my stupid presumptions…

"Do you like Kairi, Sora?" The spontaneity of the question took me by surprise. He laughed when I gave him a surprised look. "Don't answer that. You tried to kiss her. Of course you do."

"I— Well, that kiss, it…" I tried to formulate an excuse, an explanation. But for what? Why did I feel the need to defend myself? To try and convince him, or myself, that I had the tiniest chance?

"Forget it. You seem confused."

"I'm not confused! I just… Riku, what the hell." I might as well ask him. "I do like Kairi. I'm not confused about that. I don't know how, but it just happened. I know, you're probably thinking that it's on the most superficial level ever, but… I've never felt this way before." Then again, I've never found a girl that I actually liked. But he didn't need to know about that. "I don't know. I have no chance with Kairi, do I?"

"Sora, let me tell you something." He turned the T.V. on and grabbed a game remote. "I'm only going to say this once, and then I'm going to leave it all up to you to decide if it means anything."

Okay. I could live with that. "And?"

"Well, to the extent of my knowledge, no guy has ever gotten as far as you have. Could you tell me why you failed?"

"Well… her phone kind of rang at a very convenient time… ugh, you know what? Forget it. It was a spur of the moment thing, plus she's been giddy all day, so it didn't mean anything, did it?"

"Sora—"

"Riku, after her phone rang, she continued as if nothing happened. No awkward moments or anything. Nothing of the _usual_ that follows something like that."

"Hmm."

"This is pointless! Forget I said anything. Yeah, forget it."

"Okay then."

* * *

Needless to say, I was itching for some answers. Why was this so hard? How do people even… how are you supposed to know if someone likes you or not? Why was it so damn hard?!

"Sora, are you even taking this seriously?!" Riku threw an angry look my way. That was my thirteenth loss in a row.

"Sorry, I'm just… how are you supposed to know if someone likes you or not?"

"Sometimes you never find out 'til you ask." Riku selected his character and waited. "Though I recommend stepping back and making sure that you actually like her. And maybe think about it for a few days or so."

"I'm not going to do anything soon.. it's just frustrating, you know? Should've never done any of that…" A light tune began playing, resonating around the basement. "Looks like someone's at the door."

"Party guests, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah! Let's check it out!" Would it be someone new? Anything that would get my mind off this stupid subject would be great right about now.

Riku followed me to the door, digging in his pockets. "Hey, it might be the pizza guy. You never know."

"Yeah, but why are _you_ paying for it?"

"Didn't I order it?"

"It's my party. Shouldn't I pay for it?"

"I planned it."

"But it's for me."

"Do you pay for your party when it's your birthday?" The doorbell tune rang again, this time followed by loud knocks. "Just get the door."

"Took you guys long enough." Roxas grumbled as soon as I opened the door. Standing at his side was his blonde companion, and two others were approaching from behind.

"Ven?" I stared at Roxas's twin. If he wasn't wearing something different, it'd be impossible to tell the difference. Well, maybe not.

"Sora! Nice to see you again." Roxas and Naminé silently made their way into the house. "Did I ever introduce you to Aqua?"

A beautiful girl with light blue hair stood next to him, a small smile on her face. "Hey there. Aqua's the name!" She politely stuck out a hand, which I shook. She seemed pretty nice.

"Er, why don't you guys come in? Food hasn't arrived yet, but you can help yourself to drinks and stuff."

"Yeah. That'd be nice." They followed me inside and I led them down to the basement. Ven looked around in awe, while his girlfriend nodded in approval. "Nice place you got here."

"This wasn't here before…" Ven said excitedly. "Dude, you are so lucky."

"I know."

"Where's Naminé?" Ven's girlfriend quickly asked. Probably to keep a video game conversation from manifesting. "Did she go upstairs?"

"Er, yeah, but nobody's allowed…" Well, unless you know about it, of course.

"It's okay, Sora. She knows who this house really belongs to. I'm part of the family." He smiled.

"Oh, well then in that case, she's upstairs with the kids. Kairi's there too."

"Kairi's here?"

"Yup. She babysits the kids." That simple explanation made the two look at each other in shock.

"Does that mean you're living with Kairi?" Aqua questioned.

I thought they knew about this already. "Yeah. Didn't you guys know about this?"

"Well we were left in the dark about this detail!" Ven laughed. "Dude, you are so lucky."

"So I've been told." Many times.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She eyed Ven playfully. "More girls better get here soon…"

"She can't handle the manliness." Ven whispered to me. I couldn't help but laugh. "Aqua, stay here. I'll get Namine and Kairi."

* * *

Kairi just took the kids upstairs after eating some pizza. I didn't even get a chance to talk with her, but strangely enough, she found time to talk with Riku. After rolling out a hot tub with Ven and Roxas (I myself had not known of its existence until today), I walked into the house to find Riku alone, carrying the boxes of pizza downstairs.

"Yup. She said they needed to shower and everything. She'll join us when the kids are asleep."

"That's fine." Roxas voiced from behind me. "Ven and I are gonna clean this thing up. It looks disgusting."

"I guess I'll help you bring all this stuff downstairs then." I volunteered. Riku nodded and made his way down the stairs. Needless to say, it didn't take long at all to get everything downstairs.

"So much pizza." I looked at the stacks and piles of the cardboard boxes. Truly, it was a remarkable sight.

"You have no idea. By the end of the night, we'll probably have only one leftover box. That's if we get lucky. It's gonna be a long party, and half of it will be guys."

"Guys that can eat a whole box or two?" Much like ourselves.

He smirked. "Pretty much." Smiling, I began to make my way up the stairs at the sound of the doorbell tune. Looks like a few party guests were arriving. "I'll introduce you to whoever that is."

"Right!" I swung open the door and flashed a smile. Standing before me were six teenagers: two brunette girls and four guys.

"Sorry we're late! You must be Sora. The name's Hayner." The guy had blonde hair and wore camo pants with a grey vest. He seemed like a cool person. "This is Pence here," he pointed to a boy in a red jersey, who gave me a small wave, "and she's Olette."

"Hey there!" The brunette girl wearing an orange shirt and capris greeted me enthusiastically. "Nice to meet you. Thanks for having us over!"

"Oh, it's no problem, really! And you're not late, you're one of the first few to arrive." I liked meeting new people anyway.

"Well that's a relief… oh, and _these_ guys over here are the reason why we took so long!" Hayner pointed an accusing finger to the other three, who were in some sort of a whisper argument. "We were stuck behind this bunch who decided to drive a lot slower than the limit!" The blonde boy among them jumped.

"Hey, Wakka and I weren't driving! Blame Selphie for driving so slow!"

"The roads were so curvy and winding though! What was I supposed to do, floor it and send us over the cliff?!" she vigorously defended.

"Drive more than five miles an hour!" the boy who I presumed to be Wakka pronounced with a distinct accent.

"Well you know what? You guys can drive yourselves next time. Forgive me for being a safe driver."

"Just because you drive like my grandma does not make you a safe driver. Hell, she isn't exactly the safest person on the road…"

"Hi, I'm Selphie." The girl, completely ignoring her blonde companion (whose name I had yet to learn), stuck her small hand toward me with a huge smile on her face.

"I'm Sora. Nice to meet you Selphie." I returned her enthusiasm with a smile.

She giggled and slowly took her hand back. "No, the pleasure's all mine!" she ran a hand through her hair and cleared her throat. "Say, do y—"

"I'm Tidus. Sora, right? I've heard your name mentioned once or twice by Riku before."

"Yeah. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Wakka! You heard of me, ya?"

"Er, not really, no."

He laughed and gave my shoulder a pat, which felt like two tons of bricks weighing down on me. "I'm just messin' with ya!"

"You guys should come in. We have pizza and drinks downstairs."

They all voiced a chorus of agreement, following Riku downstairs. I closed the door after everyone and matched all the names I had just learned with all the faces I just saw. Hayner, Pence and Olette were the first three; Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka were the other three.

"Did more people arrive?" Naminé called from the top of the staircase. She seemed to have changed from her earlier attire, already wearing a swimsuit under her clothes.

"Yeah. Hayner—"

"Pence and Olette."

"Yeah. And Selphie—"

"Tidus and Wakka. They tend to travel in those kinds of groups."

Trios? "You mean all of them, or in threes?"

"In threes. Though I'm surprised Tidus didn't show up with Yuna." She peered out the window and stood by me. "They started going out around Christmas. You have more party guests here."

"Really?" The answer came in the form of a myriad of voices outside the door. "Hmm. That didn't take long." I opened the door to reveal six more people. This time, the girls outnumbered the boys in similar fashion.

"Sora!" A girl with long, blond hair enthusiastically greeted me with a hug as soon as I opened the door. "Nice to finally meet you!" I stared at the girl in shock. "You're Sora, right?"

"Oh. Y-yeah. And you are…?"

"Rikku! Like your friend Riku! Only with one more 'k' and a couple more points on the coolness scale!" She flashed a bright smile. She was probably the polar opposite of Riku. How ironic.

"Nice to meet you!" I returned a smile and looked at the others in the group.

A brunette wearing denim shorts and a white tank top caught my attention with a small wave. "Hi there! Yuna's the name!" she took a step to the side to reveal a tough-looking girl behind her. She actually looked like she didn't want to be here. "This here is Paine. Thanks for inviting us over!"

"Don't mention it! I was in the mood for a party anyway!" I joked. "Uh, why don't you all come in? There's food and drinks downstairs and everything. A couple guys got here minutes before you did too." All six of the new arrivals, three of which who remained unintroduced, stepped inside the house. The three girls began walking down the hallway, searching for the door I had described. I looked back to see a smiling Namine talking with the red-haired guy. She looked quite tiny standing next to his tall stature.

"Sora! It's me! Roxas's best friend!" A boy, probably two or three years older than myself, held out a hand. "Of course you don't remember me. It's Axel."

I never recalled meeting him before… "I don't remember you at all, sorry."

"Yeah, I was just kidding anyway. See you downstairs!" I guess he chose to do what he wanted, when he wanted. He walked in the general direction of the three girls.

"Why hello there! The name's Demyx. I'm pretty sure I wasn't invited to this party, but it's nice to meet you."

"Sora. And why wouldn't you be invited?"

"Oh, I'm actually a fill-in. I'm never invited anywhere." Wow, bummer. "Of course, they always invite _Zexion_, but the guy never goes to parties. They just don't get the hint."

"Er, sorry to hear that." I turned to the girl with black hair, who was happily conversing with a seemingly uneasy Naminé. "Uh, sorry to interrupt…"

"Oh, h-hi! Sorry, I was… yeah. My name's Xion. It's nice to finally meet you, Sora."

"Has someone told you about me?"

"Riku has. The boy Riku. In a few conversations here and there."

"Oh." An awkward silence followed before Demyx sneezed. "Excuse me! Sorry about that. Probably allergies. I'm allergic to dust." Another silence followed. "Er, not saying your house is dusty! IT's just… I… can we head downstairs and grab a bite? I'm starving!" he nervously chuckled.

"Yeah. Just follow me." They obeyed, and I held the door for them as they entered the basement. I could already hear loud laughing and screaming.

"So what do you think so far?" Namine casually made conversation with me as we descended.

"Everyone seems to be pretty cool. Well, these last three were pretty weird. Does Demyx really never get invited to parties?"

"Pretty much. Then again, he's the fill-in half the time. It's not that nobody likes him, it's just… I don't know. There's always that person in the group where people are totally indifferent towards."

"I guess it's better to be that than hated. I feel kind of bad."

"Don't, he's fine. I'm sure he's happy to be here too." She looked around the room, her eyes scanning the area. Looking for Roxas, I bet.

"Say, is there anything between you and Xion? Well, mostly you, because you looked kind of uncomfortable when she was talking to you."

"What? I don't think I understand your question…"

"You know… like any conflict? It could be my imagination, but rarely do you look uncomfortable. Shy, but not uncomfortable." Though, that might be because Roxas was always around.

She let out a sigh and her lips curved into a tiny smile. "She… gets along with Roxas pretty well."

Oh. Oh no. One of _those_ things. "Oh. Well then…"

"Yeah. Say, do you know where—"

"He's probably out back, cleaning the hot tub. I didn't even know we had one."

She giggled. "Heh. Thanks. I'll come down with him when it's ready."

"Yeah. I'll… keep people busy, I guess." I decided to join the group with Riku. Sitting around him were Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie. At least, I think that's who they were. They had three boxes of pizza stacked on the floor next to them. They seemed to be in a funny conversation, so I made my way there as fast as possible.

"—totally bang him."

Whoa. Bad timing. "Huh. Should I perhaps… walk away now?" The guys started sniggering as Selphie turned around in horror.

"Sora! How long have you been here?"

"Since just now. Was I interrupting a conversation or…?"

"Selphie was telling us how much she wants to—"

"Beat your ass into a pulp if you don't stop talking." She finished cheerily. Tidus smiled in defeat and shrugged it off. "So, is this everyone? There's quite a bit of people here."

"Yeah, this is it. Not including Roxas and Ven and Aqua." Riku stuffed another slice of pizza into his mouth. I started having second doubts as to whether or not we got enough pizza.

"What about Namine?" Selphie looked at me before asking, "she was just down here, so where'd she go?"

"She went upstairs to find Roxas. He's prepping the hot tub."

"Did someone say hot tub?" Wakka asked excitedly.

"Yeah. But I don't think it's… well, it isn't. It can probably fit around eight people, ten if we squeeze in. Then again, there's always the heated pool…"

"Dude, you seriously have it _all_ here!" The other blonde (I think his name was Hayner) entered the conversation with a cup of soda in his hand. "What do your parents do?!"

"Um…" Riku shot me a look, assuring that he'd lie for me if I needed. "My mom's a doctor. Yup. It's only us, so…"

"And your dad?"

"Oh, he's uh…" I scratched the back of my head, searching for a quick lie. "You know, I don't really know what he does. Probably works for the government or something. But he gets paid, right?"

"Dude, you are so lucky. For all you know, your dad could be a secret fucking agent. Badass dude. Badass." He walked away with no questions. That was a relief.

I went around the room, occasionally stopping to talk a lot of people. Everyone seemed to know each other, but it was easy to notice who didn't get along with whom. On a lighter note, I thought I noticed a few flirting bouts here and there. To me, it looked like Hayner and Olette were acting pretty lovey-dovey with each other; when I told Riku this, he agreed immediately. I guess that comes with every group of friends though.

Roxas, Ven, and Namine soon joined the party, and it wasn't long before everyone crowded around the T.V. to play video games. Whenever I got a free chance, I made my way around the room and cleaned up a bit. Better to get knock it out little by little than a mass cleaning session later.

"Need help?" I turned around, finding a brunette wearing a yellow dress. Selphie.

"Sure. I guess I could use an extra hand." She held a garbage bag open as I filled it with cups, plates, and napkins.

"So… you enjoying the party?" She started with a smile.

"Yeah. It's pretty fun. Everyone here is. Lots of different people and everything."

She giggled. "Yeah. You seem to get along with everyone. Which is surprising, because… well, not everyone here gets along with each other. But that's normal."

"Heh. Yeah, of course. Though I haven't spoken with Paine much. It's weird that she and Rikku are such good friends because…"

"They're like complete opposites, right?"

"Yeah!" I laughed. "And Yuna seems to be their ringleader."

"Yup! Got that right…" The small conversation ended abruptly, and we cleaned to the sound of the group's screaming and cheering. "So Sora, where you from?"

We tied up the trashbag before I answered, "Er… here? Well, I really was born here," oh boy, I hope she doesn't catch on. Saying 'really' was completely unnecessary, "and I moved around quite a bit after that. But um, yeah… I'm back. I guess."

"What? Forget your past already?" She joked. I laughed it off without answering. "I was wondering if you were from somewhere else. You know, if you were just visiting for a short time because you had… I don't know, a girlfriend to return to?"

Ha. "Nah. I've never even had a girlfriend anyway."

"What?!" she exclaimed, catching a few people's attention. Way to draw attention to this fact. "You've never had a girlfriend?!"

"Sora's single?"

"Dibs!"

"No way!"

"I'd tap that!" Yeah, that last voice sounded like a guy.

"Selphie, don't embarrass him!"

"It isn't embarrassing…" I mumbled.

"Okay! Enough!" Selphie shooed the other girls away. I still don't know who said that. "So, never had a girlfriend huh… are you… y'know, into… guys?"

"What?!" Seriously? Just because I've never had a girlfriend before? It's really annoying when people do that. "Selphie, I like girls. I know that."

"Do you perhaps like someone already?" she pressed with a smile on her face.

If I did, I wouldn't exactly tell you. We're not best friends yet. Give it a couple years. "I-I don't."

"Sora! Come over here and play!" Hayner called from the couch.

"Eh, sorry Selphie. Looks like I'm needed over… there."

"Yeah. It was nice getting to know you." She winked. Whew. Video games save the day once again.

* * *

I eventually lost track of time after playing a few games, but that was only natural. To my disappointment, Kairi never came down. After every game, and every chance I got, I looked to the staircase, hoping to see her joining the party. It was understandable though. She had a job to do and everything, but… it would be nice if she came down to party. As much fun as I was having with everyone, I still wanted to be talking and laughing with Kairi.

"So I heard you never ever _ever _had a girlfriend before." Axel plopped down on the sofa right next to me and gave my shoulder a hard pat. "It's okay. Don't be discouraged. Ugly people sometimes grow up to be the most good-looking."

What? "Um, what are—"

"All I'm saying is, don't get a girlfriend dude. It's not worth the nagging. Trust me, if you think a girl it's cute, it's all looks. That girl is actually a she-devil. She will be gallivanting around town with your munny within a month, she will make you do things you normally wouldn't do. And wow. It's worse if you guys share friends."

"Um, Axel…"

"Whenever girls get into fights, they will tell _every single friend_ that knows the other person and try to get each of them on their side. They are cruel creatures indeed. Sora, look at me. They will make you choose sides. No, wait, you won't be choosing. They will choose for you. If you try to contest or defend the enemy, you are deemed 'enemy teammate' and they will hate you too. Trust me, I know."

"Okay, that's really nice and all…"

"Whoa, don't get me started on _her_ friends!"

"Er, I didn't…" What in the world is going on…?

"Her friends are eighty percent of the time vicious. If you think the girl you like is evil, multiply that by the amount of best friends she has. I tell you, girls are sick. They will go to such great lengths to make your life a living hell if you cross them. I mean, if you think she paid you back a hundredfold, then she hasn't even started. No, she will complain, spend your money, she will tell all her friends that you're a douchebag, she'll tell her parents how you don't appreciate her, she'll never stop sending you text messages… oh. Wow, and this is the big one. She won't tell you what you did wrong, and instead she'll just be a total biatch. I'm serious, man. This is stuff you've _got_ to commit to memory."

"Thanks, but I didn't really need a speech on that." I said as quickly as I could. He looked at me with indifference.

"Okay. You'll see. Don't say I didn't warn you." He turned away from me and stared at the wall. I felt bad because I kind of shot him down, so I decided to try and make conversation.

"Axel, how do you know so much about girls?"

He turned to me with surprise. "Why, Sora, I thought you'd never ask! You see, I am a total _magnet_. Damn, I just couldn't get away from them. And I saw some scary stuff. Like girls offering to bear my child or something. But it's seriously—"

"Axel, why didn't you bring Larxene?!" Roxas hopped over the couch and sat next to Axel, sipping from a random cup on the table in front of us. I hope that was his.

"Oh, she said she didn't wanna come."

"Are you guys in another fight again?"

"You know… I never know anymore. I honestly can't tell the difference." He replied thoughtfully. "Enough about me, where is that hottie named Namine?"

Seeing where this was going, I immediately asked, "Who's Larxene?"

Axel turned to look at me with a deadpanned look. "Oh. She's my girlfriend. Our four-year anniversary is coming up in a few weeks."

I was at a loss for words.

"So Roxas... Roxas?" he looked around the room for the blonde that had disappeared. "Damn. Got away… oh, where was I? So yeah, the girls were all over me…"

* * *

I absentmindedly stared at the mirror for a few seconds before opening the door. It was getting late, and moving to the pool and hot tub was the unanimous decision of every partier. A few people had to change into swimming trunks (myself being one of them) so by the time I reached the pool, a couple of people were already swimming. Ven and Aqua were sharing the hot tub with Hayner and Olette, while Selphie and Tidus were trying to pull a 'guys vs. girls' volleyball game in the pool.

"Sora! Took you long enough! Get in here, we need like three more guys!" I quickly jumped into the pool. Ah, perfect temperature.

"Get all the guys you want, you still won't win!" Yuna teased as she splashed him. And so begins the flirting.

"This isn't fair, why do we get the deep end…" Demyx complained as he climbed into the pool.

"Oh, suck it up, dude! This is nothing!" Axel, of course, was not affected by the deep water at all. "I think six on six is good enough. Hey! Can we start already?!"

"They sure are taking their time… Tidus, Wakka, Sora: you guys take the front." Riku ordered. "Roxas, you gonna play at all?"

"Eh, I might jump in when one of you starts failing."

"That's the spirit!" Tidus remarked sarcastically. "Pfft. We can take these girls." Rikku, Paine, and Yuna were standing at the net, while Selphie played with the beach ball in the back. Xion and Naminé stood to the left and right of her, laughing at the comments Selphie was making.

"This is gonna be so easy!" Rikku laughed in excitement.

* * *

"That's game! You guys suck!"

"Eat that!"

And easy it was. Man, were we put to shame. Then again, I was the only one there that didn't know that Paine, Rikku, and Yuna played on a travel volleyball team. Yeah, it was mostly them; any time the ball went to the back, it was merely set up for a spike for one of the girls down front. The fact that we were in a pool didn't really affect their game. A couple points ago, Demyx was carried out of the pool when he… collided with the wall (jokes of "did you see how fast that wall was coming at him?!" were traded around the pool amidst loud laughter). Our egos crushed, I left with the rest of the guys in shame. It wouldn't have been as bad if we hadn't lost by fourteen.

Playful banter, cheesy comebacks, and extremely funny insults were shooting left and right. Our egos may have been crushed, but hey, we can still trade a few words.

"How come nobody told me they were good?"

"Because we _thought_ we had a chance of winning." Riku mumbled.

"And we played on the possibility that they'd forget to keep score." Yeah, I kinda wish they forgot to do that too. I left the guys to find our injured teammate.

"Demyx, you all right?" I checked up on the blonde, who was sitting in a chair.

"Yeah. Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I just wish I knew the wall was there."

"Don't sweat it. You went for it. It wasn't going out, so…" Yeah. How exactly do you try to comfort someone after he embarrasses himself like that?

"Sora! Come here!" Ven beckoned from the hot tub. I grabbed a can of soda from a nearby cooler and tossed it to Demyx. He didn't have his hands set, so it kind of fell into a sensitive area.

"Oh shoot, sorry!"

"Y-yeah, whatever. I'm fine…" I quickly scurried off and joined the hot tub group.

Riku, Selphie, and Axel were standing outside the hot tub, leaning on the walls. Ven motioned for me to join them instead. "Get in. Hayner's about to tell us what happened last week…"

Oh. I love stories.

* * *

It wasn't long before everyone wanted to go back inside again. After Hayner's story regarding his experience with Olette's father, someone (perhaps it was Tidus) challenged someone else to a game of Taboo or something. I found a new appreciation for the attention span of the teenage mind.

Naminé, Roxas and I stayed behind to clean up a bit. We went around the pool and patio, cleaning up after spilled drinks, abandoned cups, and the occasional object where you just didn't ask any questions. I charged Riku with the duty to make sure that no one leaves his sight or the basement. This kind of party was the perfect one for a couple to sneak off and just let loose.

I looked at both Naminé and Roxas and couldn't suppress a smirk.

"Is there a reason why you're smiling like that?"

"What are you talking about? I'm always smiling!" It was true.

"Hmm. But something tells me there was a reason behind that one."

"Roxas, Sora smiles all the time. You're just a really happy person, aren't you Sora?"

"Yup! Very happy!" Needless to say, Roxas didn't ask again. We continued to clean up in silence.

"Is this a bad time?" My heart jumped at the sound of the voice. "The party's already ending just as I come out to join it."

"Kairi!" I turned excitedly to find Kairi standing at the doorway with a towel draped over her shoulders. "I didn't think you were gonna join us!"

She giggled and walked toward the table, setting her towel down. "Had a job to do. They're sleeping now though, so it's all good. Why are you guys cleaning?"

"Everyone went back downstairs to play some game. I think it was called Taboo or something? They just decided to help me clean up a bit."

"And now our job is done!" Roxas cut into the conversation as he dragged a trash bag over. "Naminé and I are going to join everyone in the basement." he stood there for a while, as if waiting for some answer.

"Um… okay. Great." Kairi replied.

"What will you two do?" Namine quipped. Oh. So that's why he did that.

"Well, I came down here to go into the pool, so… I guess I'll do that. What about you, Sora? Gonna join your party guests?" Everyone turned their eyes to me, waiting for an answer.

"I guess… I'll uh…"

"You know, I think we can handle things downstairs." Roxas spoke up. "Kairi, you don't mind having some company, right?"

She looked at me and smiled. "Sora's company? Nah. I'm sure I can handle him!" she giggled when I gave her a mock pout.

"You make it sound as if I'm a load of trouble or a burden or something!"

"You're not exactly the cute little angels I have sleeping upstairs." Ouch.

"Ahem!" Roxas coughed quite obnoxiously. Jeez, what was his deal? "If you'll excuse us, we'll be joining the party. Join us at any time, okay?"

"You bet!" I replied. Kairi and I watched the two go inside and enter the basement. She let out a sigh.

"You know what, a very small part of me wished they just went off to a secluded room somewhere. But only a very small part." We laughed at the thought.

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." I mean, don't you guys?

"Well, let's see… could you turn the hot tub? I came to swim, but that's looking far more enticing at the moment."

"Oh, yeah. Hold on." I walked over to the hot tub and set the jet timer. I made sure everything was in order before calling out, "Okay, it should be ready now!" I turned around to see Kairi walking toward me in a simple red bikini. Wow. My face was getting red. i could feel it.

"Thanks! Is it warm?" she stuck her hand in the water and laughed. "Ugh, well duh. Stupid Kairi… you gonna come in?"

Huh? "You mean go in the hot tub with you?"

"No, I'm asking me if you'll accompany me to the cave over there. _Of course_ I'm asking you if you're going into the hot tub."

"Oh! Well, then yeah… I guess…"

"Try to contain your excitement, Sora. Well, take off your shirt and hop in then!"

I'm not gonna lie, something about Kairi telling me to take my clothes off made me shiver and cheer inside.

Needless to say, I complied. She stood aside, making me choose where to sit. Oh well, saves me the effort of deciding whether or not it was okay to sit next to her. "Aaaah…" I let out a contented sigh.

"Great!" She slowly climbed into the tub and immersed herself further. "So hot! It feels so good! Now, scoot over."

"What?"

"You heard me. Move!" Still confused, I still obeyed the order. I moved over a little bit from my original spot. She chose to settle there. "What? You did pick the best spot, right? Well, it's mine now!"

"O-okay!" I actually just picked a random spot to sit in, but I had no complaints. She could've sat anywhere in the hot tub, but she settled right next to me. Did I have a problem with it? Not at all.

"This is so comfortable." She let out a low hum, something that sounded a lot like a purr, and stretched. I averted my eyes. Was she doing this on purpose?

"Y-Yeah… it is…" Kairi, why do you enjoy torturing me? "Hey, so what… took you so long?"

"You mean why didn't I join the party til now?" Yeah. That's what I meant. "I actually built a pillow fort with the kids. They were looking for you, y'know? We needed a bear to destroy our camping tent. But it was a safe night, and thus pretty boring."

"Ha. Why would I be the big bad bear or the bad guy?"

"We get that vibe. The evil, bear vibe. Know what I mean?" she joked. I gave her a playful shove. Which was a mistake, because her skin was very smooth. And oftentimes, once you have a sample of something good, it just becomes harder to resist.

"Arent you so funny…" I leaned back and rested my head on the edge of the tub. "So what happened to the pillow fort?"

"The kids are sleeping in it. I envy them, you know. I never had enough pillows and blankets to make a giant pillow fort I could sleep in. It looks so awesome."

"I bet." I shot her a smile, which she returned. We sat in a comfortable silence.

"So, what do you think of everyone?"

"They're all really cool. I talked with Selphie and Hayner the most."

"Ah. Selphie's one of my good friends. She's the go-to girl for gossip too. And Hayner… hmm. Can't say I know him that well, but we talk."

"Out of everyone , excluding Namine and Roxas, who do you talk with the most?" I looked at her with curiosity as she thought of her answer.

"Among the boys, I talk with Riku the most. And the girls… hmm. I'd say Selphie. Honestly, I talk with the guys a lot more than the girls." She quickly clarified when I raised my eyebrows. "It's not that I don't like them. We have Girls Day and stuff like that. But I generally talk with the guys more. It's almost as if I'm one of the guys. Which may sound a little wrong, but it's true." She let out a small laugh.

"I know what you mean." I thought about her answers. She spoke with the guys more than the girls… and out of all of them, Riku was the one she spoke to the most. "Hey, if you don't mind me asking…"

"Yes?"

"Do you like Riku?" I blurted out. She blinked in shock before trying to answer.

"Uh, sorry, what was that?"

"Do you like Riku? You know, like how Namine likes… Roxas and all…" I broke eye contact with her. She looked rather surprised.

"Um… wow. What provoked this question? Can I ask that?"

"Oh… w-well, you two seem to get along really well, and… I just thought that maybe you liked him…"

"Oh." She responded quietly. She looked bothered, making me wonder if I had done something wrong.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to talk about it if you don't have to, just…"

"No, no, it's nothing. Really." She seemed to snap back to her former state and smiled softly. "A few years back, Riku admitted he liked me. I had to tell him that I saw him just as a friend and nothing more…"

"Sorry, I didn't think it'd bring up bad memories…"

"They're not necessarily bad. It's not like it ruined our friendship or anything. He's moved on, but I know he cares for me deeply. When I turned him down, a lot of the girls thought I was crazy. Because, well, let's be frank. Riku's hot." That wasn't the first time I heard that from a girl. "but… I just didn't feel anything. I couldn't bring myself to like him the way he liked me, and I didn't want to hurt him. Heh. A lot of girls _really_ didn't like me for that. But whatever. I thought I made the right decision."

"I think you did too. Don't dwell on it…"

"I don't know. I got a lot of flak for turning him down. It got to me, you know. And this is the best part. I even started questioning whether or not I liked guys." She turned around in embarrassment, but her smile never dropped. "Riku was there though. He laughed at the other girls and was the one to tell me not to let it get to my head. Sometimes I get angry at myself for being so weak. It was a ridiculous thing."

"But it's normal. I'm glad Riku was there for you. That sounds just like him!"

She laughed, and nodded. "Me too. And yet, I still couldn't bring myself to like him like that." She looked at me before turning away with a sneaky smile. "But I'm one hundred percent sure I like guys. Maybe not Riku, but yeah."

I made sure not to drop my smile. Did she like someone else already? Oh, are you telling me you like someone?" I teased. I smiled, despite the feeling that any hope of getting Kairi to like me just went down the drain. It hurt inside, but I made sure not to stop smiling.

"Do I like someone? What's it to you?" she smiled. Whoever she liked was a lucky guy. Then again, I'm glad she likes the guy she does.

"I wish I could read minds, because you're obviously thinking about him right now."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because you can't stop smiling." I poked her cheek, causing her to giggle. "I'm glad this person makes you that happy. Really, I am."

"Haha! You can be so…. How is it that you've never had a girlfriend?"

"Huh?" That was a little unexpected. Scratch that. I didn't see that coming at all.

"What kind of girl wouldn't want you by her side at all times? You have such an infectious smile. You're funny, and you…"

"I what?"

"I'm not gonna say it. You'll find out though. One day she'll come along and she'll tell you."

"Tell me what?" I was getting curious now. What was she going to say?!

"I'm not telling!"

"Kairi, that isn't fair! Finish your sentence!"

"Make me!"

"Fine!" she asked for it. I reached underwater and found my target. No, you perverts. Her _sides. _Party because I wanted to get an answer out of her, and partly because I wanted to touch her. _Contact,_ not inappropriately. Ugh. there is no way I can properly justify myself, is there?

"No! St-Stop it right now!"

"Tell me!"

"Sora! It tickles! I… haha… st-stop!"

"I laughed as she tried to stop me. "Not until you tell me!" I relentless tickled her until she was screaming and splashing everywhere.

"I'm not telling you!" she said in between laughs. She managed to grab both of my wrists and wrenched them from her body. "Ha… I… got you…!"

"That's… what you think!" I leaned towards her, pushing my weight on her arms.

"Gotcha!" she quickly spun from her spot and pinned me against the wall. "Now… who's… got…"

"You haven't won yet!" I pushed her to the other side of the tub and pinned _her_ against the wall. Yeah, I was winning.

"You won't get it out of me!" she struggled to keep my hands away from her sides. "Not like this!"

"Then what… will?" I asked with a smile. I pushed my weight on to her, my hands getting even closer to her sides. She jumped every time my fingers made contact.

"I'll never lose… a tickle fight! Riku!"

"Huh?" the momentary distraction was enough for her. She threw my arms behind me and held them fast. I would've tried fighting her with more fervor, but at the moment our bodies were against each other. Why would I try to break out of this?

"Give… up?" her arms shook as I put some resistance up. "You're not getting out of this one."

"Who said I wanted to get out of this one?" Oh, did I say that out loud?

"So you admit defeat?" That was a relief.

"Nope!" I used my full strength to break out of the tangle she put me in. I turned the tables and grabbed her wrists, pinning them against the wall. "But you will! And then you'll tell me what you were going to say!"

"In your dreams…!" she tried to break the hold I had on her, but I quickly put more force. "Hmm. Using your full strength already?

"What makes you think that?" I smirked.

"Hmm. Guess you're just that built." She looked at my body and smirked. "I'm impressed."

Really? "Oh…"

"Gotcha!" I felt a tickling sensation at my sides. No!

"I knew I left my cell phone…out…here…" the voice of Selphie slowly came to a halt. I looked up, and Kairi turned her head. We found Selphie staring at us with her mouth agape. Hmm. This isn't the first time this has happened. But you know something? It feels just as awkward every time.

"Uh…" Kairi retracted her hands and I retreated to the other end of the tub. We both stared at Selphie with equal surprise. "Hey Selphie."

"Hi, Kairi…" she dropped her phone as her eyes shot back and forth between us. "when did you get here?"

"Oh… I've… been here, I guess."

Awkward silence. Selphie suddenly burst out into hysterics. "I'm so sorry Kairi! Had I known, I wouldn't have even flirted with him! Sora, you told me you weren't dating anyone! Why does this always happen to me?! I swear, I _try _ to go after single guys! They just always turn out taken! Oh, I knew it! Why me?! Why?!"

We stared at her before realizing what she said. "Oh! Selphie, Sora and I aren't dating. We're… just friends. Right, Sora?"

"Huh? Oh yeah! Just… friends. I'm not dating anyone."

"Huh? You're not? So then…" she looked at the ground before smiling at us. "I didn't do something scandalous! Thank— wait a second! Then did I just witness… oh."

"What?" I asked. I don't get Selphie.

"Are you two… what were you two _doing_ then?" she said with a sly smile on her face. "Did I just witness something… oh my. I'm sorry for interrupting you two!" she nearly sang the last bit as she ran back into the house. "Oh!" she stuck her head out the doorway. "Whatever you two were doing… feel free to continue!" she made a mad dash for the basement before we could reply.

"Do you think she's gonna…"

"Yeah. She is."

"Do you want to do anything?

"You know what…" Kairi sat back down in front of a jet. "I'm quite comfortable here."

"Oh." I sat right next to her and leaned into the jets. "Same for me then."

"Aaaah. We're gonna get a lot of comments when we go downstairs."

"Do you even care?" I flashed her a smile. I already knew her answer.

"Nope. Too happy and comfortable to care." She rested her head on my shoulder. Uh, this is new… "Do you mind?"

"Um, nope. I don't."

"Great." She adjusted herself into a more comfortable position. "You have a really comfortable shoulder."

"Um, thanks?" That's a compliment I've never received before. "You know, it's not good to fall asleep in a hot tub."

"Psh, whatever. You'll wake me if I do, right?" I nodded. "Good. And I _know_ that if I do fall asleep, you'll be here when I wake up."

"Yeah." I relaxed as much as I could. My heart was pounding crazily in my chest. I never found myself in such a situation… and since it was Kairi on my shoulder… well, that just made me crazy.

"Hey Kairi…"

"Yes?"

"Were you really impressed with my body?" I jokingly asked.

She laughed and splashed my face. "Shut up."

* * *

It didn't last long. Or at least, I thought it went by fast. When we finally reached the basement, Selphie informed us that we were there for forty minutes after she left. The group was at a table, hollering with laughter and having a lot of fun. By the looks of things, Tidus was trying to describe something to Wakka, Yuna, Paine, and Rikku.

"Okay, okay! It's small… it's, uh, shriveled up… "

"Speak for yourself, man!"

"No, it's not that! Wipe that smile off your face, Wakka!"

"Tidus, we need more clues!" Yuna ordered him. I could see she was trying to suppress a smile.

"Okay, then it's… well, sometimes, I guess, it's hard, but I think they're usually soft…" Everyone listening to him just fell to the floor laughing. Tidus, who was going red from the embarrassment (and I'm pretty sure he was aware of what it sounded like.

"Time! That's time! We win!" Demyx exclaimed happily. The whole table cheered and laughed as Tidus groaned.

"It was a raisin, guys! A freaking raisin! Get your head out of the gutter!" Nobody really paid any attention to the poor guy. Instead, all their attention landed on the new arrivals.

"Kairi! With… Sora!" everyone came running towards us, and before I knew it, I was being herded off in the opposite direction of Kairi. Great.

"Damn, Sora. I never thought you had it in you." Roxas teased.

"Forty minutes isn't half-bad. Respect." Hayner slapped me hard on the back.

"Guys, we didn't do anything…" I tried to explain.

"Sure. Sora, after all that warning I gave you, you go and do the dirty…"

"What?!" That's ridiculous! Seriously?! "I didn't… I didn't do that!"

"Sora, it's okay. Today you officially became a man."

"Riku, I didn't—"

"Everyone! A drink to Sora!"

"Kairi, do you mind?" I looked to Kairi for help, who merely shrugged and laughed.

"Let them have their fun. They're just messing around anyway."

"How did this happen…"

The rest of the party continued in that stupid teasing fashion. No one was going to let me live anything down (How am I supposed to respond when people congratulate me for sitting in a hot tub with Kairi?), so I just played along per Kairi's suggestion. It wasn't long before we were all playing weird games and laughing at everything.

Sadly, I didn't get to talk with Kairi much. Okay, so I did, but we never got to have an actual conversation. With everyone else there, it was hard to give all your attention to one person. Especially if that person was surrounded by a group of whispering girls.

"How much do you wanna bet that they're discussing how _adorable_ you are?" Ven asked with a smirk.

"It's not gonna last long. You're the new guy, and all the girl's are just freaking out about the next best thing. They'll eventually forget all about you."

"Aww, don't mind him!" Pence came by with a drink in hand. "He's just jealous 'cause Olette's part of the bunch. I looked over and laughed to see that Pence was right. My eyes locked with Kairi's and we traded an expression that admitted our playful defeat.

"Pence, don't go making up stories!" Hayner defended quickly.

"Chill, man. I was just joking."

"Yeah… well…"

"Sora, if you had the choice, which one of those girls would you go out with?" Ven suddenly asked. Oh, how I hated questions like these.

"Ven, I don't think…"

"Nonsense! I wanna hear this too!" Roxas joined the circle that I soon found myself to be in the center of. The only girls around were Namine and Aqua, who held the kind of smiles that would make you uncomfortable because they knew one of your secrets.

"Um, well…"

"Out of all of them, Namine and Aqua included!" Axel added. Ven and Roxas looked at him with disgust.

"Well, no offense to you two, but I wouldn't pick you."

"None taken." Aqua breathed a sigh of relief.

"We know…" Namine commented with a large smile.

"Uh, anyway…" Come on, do I have to answer this? "I… wouldn't pick Yuna or Paine or Olette…"

"Good choice of words, Sora." Tidus jokingly said with a smile. Hayner, trying to be casual, merely shrugged.

"I think I know who you'd pick!"

"If it wasn't obvious already…"

"You know what, I don't have to answer this…"

"Oh, he'd totally pick Kairi!"

"Kairi!"

"Aww, his face is going red!"

"Guys, okay already! Stop!" they all broke out into laughter at my expense. Well haha. Have your laugh.

"Well, good luck to you!"

"Way to aim high, Sora!"

Help me.

* * *

The night was coming to an end when Selphie decided that it was time to go. It was understandable, since we had been partying for seven hours straight. Hayner, Pence, and Olette were the first ones to actually leave though.

"It was nice meeting you Sora!" Olette, as bubbly as ever, gave me a quick hug.

"Yeah, you too, Olette! Hayner, Pence, nice to meet you guys."

"Yup."

"Well, til next time, I guess!"

"Sora!" I turned around to find Selphie running towards me. "Hey, Tidus and Wakka and I are gonna head out now. The party was great!"

"Thanks! Glad you had fun!" I smiled.

"So listen… we're all planning to go to the beach two days from now. I wanted to invite you personally because…" she whispered the last part as if it were some secret. "Kairi might want to keep you to herself! And we can't have that!"

"Just what are you whispering about now?" Speak of the devil.

"Kairi! It's nothing, really. Tidus! Wakka!"

"Sora! Thanks for the party. It was awesome."

"We'll party again sometime, yeah?"

"Definitely. See you guys later!"

"Bye!" I watched the trio walk to their cars.

"Hey! We need those guys to move their car!" Hayner yelled from the driveway.

"Easy, I'm coming, I'm coming." Axel, followed by Xion and Demyx, made his way to Kairi and I. "You two be good. I'll see you again. Oh, Sora…" he leaned in and whispered, "I left something under your pillow…" Okay, well if that wasn't creepy enough.

"The party was great! Thanks for the invite!" Xion and Demyx spoke together. They ran out the door before I could reply.

"Aah, now that was one hell of a party!" Rikku threw her arm over my shoulder and sighed. "You really know how to have fun. I like you, Sora!"

"In a totally platonic way." Paine added.

"Yeah! What she said!" she gave me a squeeze and parted from me.

"Thanks for everything Sora. We'll see you again, right?"

"You bet! Call me the next time you guys throw a party!" I said with a… yeah. What else?

"The rest of us are crashing here, I guess. I'm sure you don't mind." Ven was carrying a bunch of trash bags outside. Roxas stood beside me.

"Did you have fun?"

"Tons. You guys have some pretty cool friends."

"I know, we're amazing. No need to tell us twice!" the redhead chirped beside me. "Well, I'm going to bed. I still have to wake up early tomorrow and take those kids to…" she yawned before continuing, "their camp tomorrow. I'll see you guys in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah. Good night, Kairi!"

"G'night Sora. G'night guys!"

"Night!" they returned.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty much wasted." Riku said tiredly. "Ven, Aqua, where you sleeping?"

"We'll sleep in the master bedroom. Roxas and Nam can sleep in the basement."

"Tell Namine I said sorry!" Aqua said before running up the stairs. Finally. The night was coming to an end.

* * *

Or not.

Roxas and Namine were in the shower. No, not together. They were in two different showers. That left me alone with Riku, who wouldn't stop pestering me about Kairi.

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that all you guys did was sit in the hot tub and stare at the sky?"

Um… yeah. "I told you already, we didn't do anything of that sort!"

"What a waste of a toast then!" Riku joked. "And Selphie told us she walked in on you guys doing something naughty."

"W-what?! We weren't doing anything!"

"She told us all that you had her pinned against the wall of the hot tub and whispered sweet nothings into her ear."

"And you seriously believe that?"

"I believe you would do something that corny, so yes. I do."

"Ugh, go away." Roxas conveniently finished in the bathroom and walked out.

"Man, I'm beat." He yawned loudly before crawling onto the pull-out bed.

"Oh, well, sorry to cut this conversation short, but I should shower. "

My thoughts were drifting to Kairi the whole time I showered. No, I didn't do anything weird. Just… thought about her. And how hopeless I was. The shower lets you think, you know? So I thought about Kairi. As much fun as we had today, I was still bothered by the fact that she liked someone else. She never really told me who it was, so I spent the whole time trying to come up with answers. Every time I thought, however, I never could agree with the answer; the only answer I was arriving at was Riku. But she told me that she didn't see him in that light.

Why did she have to tell me that?! I think she just enjoyed torturing me. I bet there's a part of Kairi that is just sadistic.

I hopped out of the shower and quickly dried myself off. As I was changing, a caught a glimpse of my reflection and stared. Was Kairi serious or not when she said she was impressed? She never really answered that question either.

And it wouldn't hurt to know…

I threw my shirt on and walked out of the bathroom to find Roxas and Namine snuggling on the pull-out bed. Wow. They really are… wow. How can you _not_ assume they're dating? They're as tangled as a pretzel!

I quietly made my way to my bed and buried myself under the covers. Riku came down minutes later and went straight for the other couch. Now's a good time if any…

"Hey Riku."

"Yeah?"

"Do you still like Kairi?" I asked quietly. He didn't answer immediately. In fact, the question seemed to hang in the air for an eternity.

The answer came after a deep sigh. "It doesn't go away, Sora." There was obviously no need for words, so we remained silent for a long time.

"Sorry for asking, Riku."

"Don't sweat it. If anything, I'm glad it's you that likes her."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know I can kick your ass if you hurt her." He laughed. I smiled to myself.

"Good night."

"Yeah. 'Night." He turned himself over on the couch and fell asleep within seconds. I buried myself into my pillow and breathed deeply. My hands, which had wrapped around and under the pillow, brushed against something.

"What the…?"

I grabbed the object, which was obviously something in some type of wrapper, and shined the light from my phone on it.

A condom.

"Gah!" I sent it flying to the other side of the room. Good riddance, Axel.

I had a reason to thank my exhaustion now. It saved me from a _lot_ of thoughts before I fell asleep.

* * *

RE: Huge thanks to **msdramaqueeny, ShadowSpooky, Fanfiction Fanatiction, Blood Seraph (new name!), kikofreako, iluvkingdomheartz, SecretAgent99, KHgatomon3444, Electron Beam, Dynasty021, SilverClock, Eloquent Disaster, and mattjesse** for reviewing time and time again!

Also, I would like to extend my gratitude to **dearlybelovedangel, Vnision, jonesy25, izzyta, rawrimadinosaur8, colormecrayon, young gun kid, tayt63, and Naivette **for your reviews as well!

Take care, and I'll see you around!


	8. The Date?

Chapter 8: The Date?

I sat at the kitchen table, stirring up two hot chocolates amidst the smell of coffee. Three guesses as to whom this other cup belonged.

"Sora, I think you should take that poser coffee and leave this house."

"I'm sorry, but why is coffee so good again?" Despite the fact that we went to bed pretty late, Riku and I woke up pretty early. Not earlier than Kairi of course, but early nonetheless.

"Take a whiff of the air, Sora!" I grimaced at the scent of that evil beverage. "Oh, c'mon, you need to grow up."

"No. I like my hot chocolate, thank you very much." And Kairi does too, so ha.

"Whatever. You'll break one day." He finished whatever he was doing (don't look at me; I don't know how to use a coffeemaker). "Ah. Only a matter of time before I get my fix."

Addict.

The sound of a key turning caught our attention. We looked to the front door and watched as a smiling Kairi walked through.

"Oh! You guys are awake! I brought doughnuts!"

"Yes!" I ran over to take the boxes off her hands and brought them to the table. I love doughnuts!

"Morning, Riku!"

"Good morning, Kairi." He came over and looked into the box of doughnuts I had opened. He picked out a jelly-filled doughnut. "You did well."

"I know. Sora, I didn't know what kind you like, so I kinda just got a ton of my favorite." I observed the box and noted there was a lot of my favorite: chocolate with sprinkles. I'm in love.

That wasn't serious. I mean, I like her, but I take love very seriously. It was an expression, you see? So… yeah.

"Kairi, these ones are my absolute favorite." There's a heaven after all. And they sent me my own angel. Amazing.

"Haha. You're just saying that…" she grabbed one of her own and bit into it.

"Nope, those _are_ his favorites. I guess that makes you two enemies now." Kairi quickly looked at me and smirked. I narrowed my eyes. In the next instant, each of us was holding a box of doughnuts.

"You'll never take them alive!" she growled. Cute.

"They're mine!" I playfully snarled in return.

"How cute. You guys flirt as often as Roxas and Naminé do." Riku laughed. We quickly ended our antics and looked away from each other. How I wish that statement was true.

"Be quiet and eat your doughnut, Riku. And don't forget to drink your cup of poison." She gave Riku a playful shove as she made her way to the fridge. "Hey, Sora, do you think—"

"I already made you one." I held up her mug, bringing a smile to her face. "Here you are, Miss Kairi. One hot choco-latte. Sora's Special with—"

"Milk and marshmallows." She took the mug with a huge smile on her face. "Thanks. You're the best." The compliment gave me butterflies and a hot face. I broke eye contact with her to prevent future embarrassment.

"Ew. You guys are already completing each other's sentences." Riku shot us a disgusted look, one betrayed by the small smile on his face.

"You are awfully grumpy this morning!" Kairi joked. "It's that coffee, I tell you. If you had one of these, you'd be a lot happier and smiley, like Sora!" she shoved her mug in his face with a light smile. "Look, it smiles back at you! Isn't it cute?"

"Makes me melt inside." He gently moved the mug from his face and turned to me. "Not gonna lie, if I was as happy-go-lucky and as smiley as you, I think I'd lose a lot of my sex appeal." We all broke out into a laughing fit as he plastered a fake smile on his face. Described at its best, he looked as if he recently got a facelift. "See? Scary huh?" He turned to Kairi, "See, there's something a lot sexier about a mysterious, frowning guy. Adds that charismatic air, right?"

"Oh yeah, work that hot look!" Kairi played along. Riku started sending a ton of jokingly-serious (how do I describe it? He's faking the effort to be sexy) faces. I continued to laugh, but I noticed the strange relationship Riku and Kairi shared. It was incredibly easy to mistake them for a couple. By the look of things, it looked as if they were a happy couple. My laugh devolved into a small smile at the thought.

Did I have a chance with Kairi at all when she turned down Riku?

"Yeah, the moneymaker right here." He let out a small laugh as he sighed. "Too bad it doesn't work out when you want it to."

The sound of someone running down the stairs cut through the air, stealing our attention.

"Ven, that tickles!"

"Exactly! Why do you think I'm touching you there?"

"Ven!" The couple stumbled into sight when they reached the bottom of the staircase. My eyes widened when I saw a shirtless Ven chasing Aqua, who was wearing his shirt. "Ven, there are people in the kitchen! Stop!" she didn't sound very convincing, as each word was laced with amusement and a giggle accompaniment. They disappeared from view as he chased her into the living room.

"As if that'll stop me!" the couple laughed as I tried to pretend they weren't there. I'm not a big fan when it comes to watching this mushy-gushy stuff.

"Kairi, did you hear any strange sounds? A bump in the night, perhaps?"

"Riku, they didn't have sex."

"Get back here!" Aqua came into the kitchen laughing and panting with Ven closely behind. I awkwardly smiled at the two.

"Oh hey guys. Got up early, didn't you?"

"I had to. Your cousins had to get to camp somehow." Kairi took a sip of her hot chocolate. "You guys are awfully chipper this morning."

"It's just— Ven!" she lightly smacked his face. If I saw correctly, I think he just gave her left butt cheek a squeeze. I kind of liked them better when they were behaving normally. "Just had a good night's sleep, is all."

The giggle that escaped her mouth backed the statement up. Eww.

"So, do I get to have some of those?" Ven wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, hiding behind her.

"Yeah. I got two dozens for a reason!" Kairi chirped. "You two are so adorable."

"Until the clothes start flying." Riku added.

"Riku, I assure you, we didn't do anything naughty last night."

"At least, not sex." Ven said quickly before biting into a glazed doughnut. "What? We didn't!"

Aqua turned to us with a wry smile. "Well, don't listen to him. My pants stayed on."

"Heh. Mine didn't!" Riku and Kairi laughed at the remark, while I kind of just sat there. Did we really need to know this? Aqua shot him a look. "Just kidding!"

"Are you _trying_ to destroy my good mood?" Aqua grabbed a… well, I don't know what flavor that was, but she took it. I had no complaints.

"I'm sorry. I'll stop now." His attitude seemed to make a complete turnaround. "So are… those two still sleeping?"

I figured he was talking about the entwined human beings downstairs. "Yeah. They didn't even stir when Riku and I came up here."

"Ah. Who woke up first?"

"I did." Riku answered. After he finished pouring himself a cup of coffee, he turned to the couple. "You guys want a cup?"

"Just a little, please."

"Yeah, I'll take what you got." Ven responded. "So… have you guys ever wondered…?"

"Oh gosh, here it comes…" Kairi shook her head and buried her face in her hands.

"No, this idea isn't even that bad… or impossible. So I was thinking last night…"

"About sex." Riku finished. A curt look from Aqua made him apologize with a shrug.

"Well, that too. Anyway," he continued quickly, "I wanted to ask… have you guys ever wondered if Naminé woke up due to… poking?"

My face froze in horror when I realized what Ven was trying to communicate.

"Ven, poking people in the face is the best way to wake someone up!" Riku poured cream into a mug of coffee.

Kairi almost choked on her hot chocolate. Oh. Now that's just disgusting.

"I've done it to Kairi a few times in Math. She has the best reactions."

Riku, that was uncalled for. No. Just no. I stole a glance at Kairi, who looked just as surprised. Needless to say, as soon as we made eye contact, an awkward atmosphere filled the air.

"I'm not having this conversation again." Kairi immediately stated.

"Haha!" Ven swallowed whatever he was chewing, "She gets it!"

"Gets it…?" Aqua shot a quizzical look at Riku. As if on cue, their eyes widened in realization.

"Oh my...holy… Kairi, I…"

"Didn't know. Ven, you are such an ass!" Kairi smacked the boy's shoulder in disgust.

"Ven! Go… go back to bed or something! What is wrong with you?!" Aqua wore a disgusted look, making Ven flinch.

"I'm just wondering if… you know! That accident has ever happened to Roxas!"

"You have a sick mind for thinking like that." Riku spat. My eyes went straight to the floor after meeting Kairi's eyes. Awkward.

"So!" The quick change of subject was much appreciated. Thank you Kairi. "What are everyone's plans for today?"

"Work. From noon to closing." Riku replied. "You guys should come by for lunch."

"I think I'm going to finish off the rest of my summer homework. I only have History left anyway."

"I think I'll bother Aqua." Ven turned to his girlfriend, "No, wait; I'll bring my homework to your house so you can help me."

"Okay. What about you, Sora?"

"Oh." What was I supposed to say? I didn't really have plans for today. "I don't know…"

"Sora and I will be around town with Roxas and Naminé." Kairi finished. She didn't offer an explanation, or return a glance, when I looked at her.

"How cute. A double date!" Ven teased.

"Oh grow up. It's not a date."

"Okay… two couples in denial gallivanting around town in a date-like manner."

"I didn't know gallivanting was part of your vocabulary."

"Well I learned it yesterday from Aqua, thank you very much."

"How you guys getting home?" Riku asked the couple (not Kairi and I, because we're not a couple. Therefore, we cannot be "the" couple). Once again, I applaud the change of topic.

"Hmm. Never thought of that. Could you give us a ride to Ven's house?" Aqua placed her mug in the dishwasher and waited for a reply.

"Yeah. Why not. I have a lot of time to kill anyway."

"Great. Well, I'm gonna clean myself up. So I'll be right back." She left the kitchen in a rush. No doubt she was feeling a little insecure in Ven's shirt.

"Hmmm. Guess I'll clean up too. Think she'll let me join her?"

"You wish."

* * *

"Kairi!" I ran toward the redhead before she went up the stairs. Right after breakfast, we all split up to clean the house after the party. Riku and the breakfast couple left around half an hour ago, leaving us with the bed couple downstairs. It was two hours 'til noon, and they were still knocked out. Kairi managed to avoid me for a good amount of the morning.

"Yup?" she casually turned to me as if she had done nothing unusual.

"Er…" What was I going to ask her again? "Uh… where are you going?" Something tells me that wasn't it.

"Upstairs?" she answered with a questioning tone. A giggle escaped her mouth when she said, "Well, that's where these stairs lead to, right?"

"Oh, yeah. That's not what I wanted to ask!" I quickly fumbled for the right words to say. "What did you mean when we were going with Roxas and Naminé? I think you said something about downtown?"

"Oh. Completely slipped my mind, sorry." She walked past me and stood before the basement door. "They'll be going around the town today on one of their little dates. We can… accompany them, if you want."

"I don't mind tagging along, but don't you think they'd like a little privacy?" If Kairi wanted to win that bet, wouldn't she make sure that Roxas and Naminé got as much alone-time as possible?

"Well, you see…" she tilted her in thought, "they won't exactly know that we're with them. We'll be _watching_ them though."

Why do girls always have to be cryptic when they want to tell you something? Do they think we guys enjoy this?

"I don't know what you mean. How could they not know we're there if we're… there?"

She sighed and mumbled something about how stupid boys were. I beg to differ. "Listen. We're going to spy on them. Got it?"

Well why couldn't she say that the first time? "Don't you think they'll recognize us?"

"No." She answered in a tone that made it sound like my question was the stupidest thing ever to reach her ears. "We'll be making a quick stop at my house to pick up disguises. Hmm…"

I took a step back as she leaned toward me. "What?"

"Your hair." How vague. "It's hopeless."

"Oh. It's kind of out of my control…"

"No, I like it. But I don't have any wigs for guys. And your hair is something… well, no one else has hair like yours, to be honest." Was that a compliment?

"Thanks?" images of a different-looking Kairi flashed through my mind.

"Yeah. We'll find something for you. I usually go with Selphie on these missions." Missions? Really, Kairi? "I really hope something happens. It's so exciting!" she giggled with enthusiasm.

"Do you normally spy on your friends when they go on dates?"

"Only couples that are going to happen. Like Hayner and Olette. We've spied on them before. Tidus and Yuna as well, but that was before they were dating. When they start dating, we grant them their privacy." She said with a wide smile. "It's like their little privilege, if you will." She opened the door to the basement and went down a step. "You coming? They have to wake up sometime, right?"

We proceeded down the stairs and turned the lights on as we went, not mindful at all of our noise pollution. Nevertheless, our actions were not enough to wake the tangled couple.

"Jeez. Sometimes I get really angry when I see them like this. It's almost _painful_ to know that these two are meant for each other and they just… well, they don't do anything about it!"

"It bothers you that much?"

"Yeah. I mean, look at them!" she pointed an accusing finger at their sleeping forms. "Just friends my _ass!_"

"Kairi?" Naminé murmured in her sleep. Slowly, Roxas began to stir as Naminé pulled her face from Roxas's chest.

Kairi was right. This was far beyond just friends.

Naminé lightly pushed away from Roxas and yawned. "What time is it?"

"Early. Glad to see you're up. We were just talking about you."

The blonde rubbed her eyes in an effort to wipe away her drowsiness. "Who?" she turned around, her eyes settling on me. "Oh, good morning Sora."

"Morning!" I greeted. It looked like Roxas was coming to, so I added, "Wake up, Roxas!"

He mumbled something before burying his face in his pillow.

"Ven and Aqua left a while ago, so you'll be driving yourselves home." Kairi informed the half-asleep girl before her. Naminé was trying to coax Roxas into the conscious world by running her hands through his messy hair.

She yawned before answering Kairi, "Okay… Roxas, please wake up now." She lightly knocked on his head.

He grumbled before lifting his head from his pillow, "There's no tennis today. Let me sleep."

"Roxas, get up. It's summer vacation. Make the most out of it!"

"Or at least, make the most out of it while I'm here." I threw in. "After I leave, sleep in as much as you want."

"But when you're gone I'll definitely be waking up early for tennis…" he whined. Naminé continued to play with his hair. She was pretty much awake now.

"Roxas, I'm getting breakfast."

"Not you too, Naminé!" When she got up from the bed, he groaned loudly. "I hope you two are happy for ruining my morning.

"You'll get over it." Kairi said with a smirk on her face. We didn't stay to watch Roxas crawl out of bed; instead, we followed Naminé upstairs, in hopes of finally starting the day.

* * *

"We have to go to my house and pick a few things up. You don't mind, do you?"

Of course I didn't mind. When Roxas and Naminé left the house, Kairi was quick to gather what she needed to pursue the couple.

I found myself on the passenger side of her car, listening to Kairi's old stalker (she insisted vehemently that it was "spying," so I backed off after getting a laugh… or ten) stories. From what I heard, it seemed that Kairi, and I guess Selphie as well, took their missions very seriously. Kairi promised to show me the latest log on Hayner and Olette that she had at her house.

"I am so excited. I sent a text to Selphie saying that you'll cover for her today."

"She was okay with that?"

She smiled mischievously. "Not exactly. But what can you do when you're working 'til three anyway?"

"Not much." I played with one of the buttons on one of my short pockets. "How much longer?"

"Almost there. I'm turning right at this traffic light, taking the third left into another street, and into my neighborhood." She turned just as she said she would, and I made note of the surroundings. The houses in this area were much more… mundane and ordinary. It made me realize how much nicer the houses on the mountain were. Not saying that these ones weren't nice, just that they weren't as posh.

"Which one is yours?" I looked around, noting that every house looked very similar to each one another. It was probably a gated community.

"The one that looks like every other one on its street." She said dryly. "When I get my own house, I am not living in a gated community." She pressed a button on the car's control panel and the gated slowly opened. "Too many rules and regulations. I want to be able to paint the outside of my house whatever color I want, not just different shades of light yellows and whites."

"Yeah. I prefer the same thing."

"Do you live in a gated community?"

"Nope. Just in a regular neighborhood, with enough space in between neighbors to call it a yard."

"Cool. Is it bigger than mine?" we pulled into a brick driveway, which connected to a clean (almost pristine), white house. We remained parked outside the three-car garage and climbed out.

"I can't say. Is this one floor?"

"Yup. There's only three of us, so it'd only be a bigger house to clean if we got something any larger." Her door opened , and the faint ringing of an alarm system resounded from somewhere in the house. "Let me get that. You can go ahead and make yourself at home."

I took the time to examine her house. Hard wood floor with dark, warm colors on each wall. It was very… cozy. To the left of a door way was a set of double doors, closed completely as if it held the house's secrets. Next to it was a door that led to a bathroom, which only consisted of a toilet and a sink. I made my way forward, noticing the dark, wooden dining table on my left. Across from it was the doorway that Kairi went through. The table before me was large, enough to seat ten people. For what reason would it need to be so large, I didn't know. Maybe Kairi's family was the party host family.

"Do you like it? I personally picked the china and that table." Kairi said as she reappeared from behind. "It's definitely the best piece of furniture we have in this house." She boasted playfully.

"It's really nice. Seems you have a knack for interior decorating."

She laughed at the thought. "I always considered that as a future career. The curtains, the wall colors, this dining room… all my idea. If anything, this right here is the showcase of my almost-nonexistent artistic ability."

"Don't say that. These combos are really awesome, and the whole thing just gives that cozy feeling, you know?"

A small smile crept onto her face. "Yeah. It does." She turned around and walked away. "You coming?"

"Oh!" I followed behind, eager to see where everything led to. Turns out the only thing through this doorway was a bathroom on the immediate right, the laundry room (which connected to the garage) a little further ahead, and then…

"Pardon the mess. I managed to hide everything… indecent, but it's still a bit cluttered." Kairi opened the door, revealing her room to me. I followed her in, noting the size and colors. For a bedroom, Kairi's was pretty large. Her walls were a light pink, pale yet positive. Her bed sheets were the exact same shade too; overall, I'd have to say hers was the stereotypical girl room. The only thing out of the ordinary here was the size.

"I don't know what you're talking about. This room is pretty nice. Big too."

"Oh, that's because it used to be two rooms." She walked to the center of her room and faced me. "There used to be a wall right here, from that wall," she pointed to her left, "to that wall."

"Oh, okay…" I trailed off. I wish my room was this big…

"Enough about my room, it's making me self-conscious now…" she laughed nervously. "I was thinking about repainting the walls to something more… mature. But anyway, let's throw stuff together."

"What?"

"For your disguise! And you'll have to help me pick out what I'll be wearing too."

Okay, they _really_ got into this stuff. "I can't believe you were actually serious."

We spent the next half hour throwing clothes everywhere. It didn't take long for Kairi to make an outfit for me: my "disguise" consisted of one of Riku's old basketball jerseys (it made me wonder what it was doing in Kairi's closet…) and a hat with the emblem of the local blitzball team.

Kairi wouldn't settle on a single choice. I thought I was going to have to kill myself because… well, are all girls _that_ indecisive? Sure, the large choice range of clothes could make the decision that much harder to make, but we spent ten minutes deciding on what color contacts she was going to wear. And that only had two choices.

"Sora, are you sure this is the better choice?"

"Yup."

"Or should I go without contacts?"

"Go with the first one."

"You know, it's been a while since I've worn the brown ones…"

"You said earlier you wanted to wear the green ones."

"I did, didn't I?" she dropped on her bed and sighed. "I wish I had more to choose from."

Why, so this could take _that_ much longer?

"Kairi!" I whined. "Just go with the green ones! By now those two are out doing… whatever couples do!"

"Fine. I'll settle with the green." She didn't sound happy at all until she put them in. "Hey, these are perfect!" Despite the color change, Kairi still looked like herself. Honestly speaking, I liked her better with her natural eye color as well.

"Cool! Are we almost done?" I sent a text to Roxas, hoping he wouldn't text back. That would mean he was having quality, uninterrupted time with Naminé. Kairi would have to hurry up if she wanted to _spy_ on them.

"Well you are. Listen, I didn't complain while you were dressing up. I'd expect you to do the same.

What? Is she for real?

"But you—"

"Sora, Sora…" she turned to me with at least four different outfits. "Just wait, okay? Patience is a virtue! And good things come to those who wait…"

"Okay. I get it…" I played with the hat I was supposed to be wearing, twirling it around my finger.

Four outfits. It couldn't possibly be much longer.

* * *

"Okay. First thing we have to do is find them. That shouldn't be too hard. Selphie and I have studied their patterns and their favorite spots are marked on the map. Which one should we hit up first?"

I stared in awe at the map Kairi had given me. I could say that I was riding with probably one of the strangest girls on the planet. The map was marked with eight different numbers, each in a different area. On the side, a detailed set of notes described the scene, most common activity, last appearance, and attire.

"Kairi, this is a little weird…" and scary. This is stalking, isn't it?

"Oh hush. Now, which one has the furthest 'last appearance' date?"

"That'd be number seven. You know, if they ever found this map—"

"Hmm. The park. They have their own special tree there. Chances are, they'll go to another spot afterwards. There's only so much you could do at the park. Naminé often brings her sketchbook, and Roxas also _tries_ to draw. The usual pattern… hmm. I think it's to number four on the map, or _7__th__ Heaven_, depending on the time and weather." She took a moment to look at the sky. "Judging by the looks of it, they'll be heading to the restaurant. Damn. We sometimes lose them after that…"

I stared at the notes written along the large margins of the map. The ones she just recited.

"Um, when do we start?"

"Right now. I've been looking for a parking spot for ages." She abruptly stopped the car and reversed into a perfect parallel park.

"Wow. You're really good at that."

"I actually got lucky this time around. I never get it right the first time. " She said with a huge smile on her face. "I'm not gonna lie, I feel really cool right now."

I laughed with her. "You should. That was pretty impressive." I tucked the map into one of the car's compartments and got out of the car. Kairi was already by my side.

"Okay… put your hat on, anyone who knows you would recognize you immediately." Before I could make any movement to follow her order, she did it for me, hiding my hair under the cap.

"There we go…" She was so close that her scent reached me before I could hold my breath. It was a mixture of cherries and… I can't put my finger on it. But it was _intoxicating._

The aroma left as quickly as it came. I restrained myself from leaning forward in an effort to get one more whiff. "You okay there?" she asked obliviously.

I snapped back to my senses. "Uh, yeah…" Everything was okay… up until that point. Now it's a battle for self-control. "How do I look?" I asked dumbly.

"Convincing, but still recognizable…" She stared into my eyes with such an intensity it was almost suffocating. She suddenly laughed. "Sora, holding your breath won't make you any harder to recognize!"

Oh. So that's why it felt suffocating.

All the blood in my body seemed to rush to my head. I broke eye contact, my face hot. "Sorry, I uh… forgot how to breathe." I joked.

She giggled, her green eyes obscured with a squint. "Come on. We can't have you dying on the job now!" she straightened up, her finger thoughtfully tapping her chin. "Okay. We need to get you glasses."

"I take you don't have a pair to lend?"

"Nope. But we can buy a cheap pair at one of the stands in the shopping district. It's one of the districts that outskirts the park area anyway."

She started walking away, forcing me to follow behind. The walk was very brisk, and Kairi's gait seemed to change completely. Everything she did was fashioned to match her disguise. She looked like some hip-hop princess straight out of a dance movie, wearing white and pink sneakers, black capris, and a matching white and pink t-shirt. Thanks to the black wig, you couldn't tell it was Kairi unless you watched her put the disguise on.

Ugh. That came out wrong. You see, I didn't watch Kairi change or anything, I just… you know, I saw what she was going to put on, and yeah, I…

I give up.

"Come on! Don't straggle behind! We have a couple to catch!" she walked even faster. The whole way there, Kairi was giving me directions on how to spy. Needless to say, I had trouble paying attention to what she was saying.

"Hey, is that what we're looking for?" I pointed to one of the many stands in the shopping district. My interruption didn't bother her in the slightest.

"Oh! Good eye, Sora. That's it." She ran ahead, her eyes scanning the shelves. She pulled a pair of white, sporty-looking glasses from the highest shelf and asked the cashier, "How much for this?"

He seemed rather enthusiastic to actually get a sale. "Well, one pair is a hundred munny, and if you get two, that's a hundred-fifty…"

"A hundred? Are you serious? How does eighty sound?"

The man looked a bit crestfallen. Kairi seemed rather adamant on her price, so I stepped in.

"A hundred is fine." I handed him the exact amount and took the glasses out of Kairi's hand. "Thanks!" I walked away from the stand, heading in the direction we were going in earlier.

"Hey!" Kairi tugged on my sleeve, a curious expression on her face. "I could have gotten it for eighty. You didn't have to pay."

"It's okay, really. My manly pride won't let me accept a girl buying me something unless it's a birthday gift."

She laughed. "You boys and your egos…"

I slipped on the white sunglasses and chuckled. "You know, I feel like a douchebag when I wear these."

She snickered. "For some odd reason, that suits you."

"Hey!"

Besides the few shared laughs, we walked in silence, and this time I stayed glued to Kairi's side. She was the one that knew exactly where we were going after all. We passed a ton of stores, ranging from the latest technology, children's clothes, and even a candle shop. The place seemed to have everything anyone needed. It certainly lived up to its name, if anything.

"Okay. Keep your eyes open. They should be— Whoa!"

Kairi stuck her arm out and stopped me. I first looked at her face, noticed the direction she was looking in, and followed suit. A blonde boy with spiky hair was standing outside of the many shops with his arms crossed.

"Is that him?" I asked quietly.

"I think so. Just— oop, nevermind. That's Ven." Aqua walked out of the store holding a cylindrical container. "That was close. For a second there I thought we were gonna get too close."

"Let's go say hi!" I started forward, but Kairi caught my sleeve and yanked me back.

"And blow our cover? Sora, you can't do that! We've got to remain as low-key and inconspicuous as possible!"

"Gotcha…" I watched our friends leave, Ven now carrying the object. "Wonder what that was for."

"Probably a map. Aqua is the biggest history buff at our school. I wouldn't be surprised if she decided to replicate the territorial changes of Destiny Islands over the last two-hundred years."

"Is your history homework always that… hard?"

"I'm not in her history class, but from what I hear, it's not that hard." She smiled as we continued walking. "She's an overachiever in her subject. I wouldn't be surprised if their assignment was to print out a few maps from the internet and examine the changes over time."

"That still sounds hard."

"You don't seem like the academic person." She said teasingly.

A grin made its way onto my face. "I'm not."

* * *

We found Roxas and Naminé _exactly_ where Kairi had predicted and doing _exactly_ what was written. A newfound respect for Kairi and Selphie made a home in my mind. They were good at what they did.

"All right. We split up here. Remember, don't hide, but blend in. That's all you need to do. Don't go anywhere near the comic book stores, because sorry, you don't exactly look the comic type right now…"

"I didn't plan to anyway."

"Fill your stereotype. You're a sporty kid. A jock. Be typical."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good. Keep in touch." I nodded as she began walking away.

Wait a second.

"Kairi! Hold on!" I yelled. My hand flew to my mouth, hoping no one heard me. Well, no one but Kairi.

She hushed me and ran back. "What is it now?"

"How do we… keep in touch?"

"Sora? Are you serious? Call me."

"Oh…" I gulped. So I had to get her number. Okay. No sweat. She probably forgot I didn't have it. Just… deep breaths, Sora.

All you're asking for is her number. For spying purposes.

"Kairi…"

"Sora, we better not be missing anything…" she peered over my shoulder to look at the couple. "Hurry up. Spit it out!"

"Can I maybe get your number so… you know… so we can keep in touch or something?" Oh my gosh. I did it! My face was burning, but I did it!

She looked a bit shocked before slapping her forehead. "Ugh, I can't believe I forgot. Here," she took my phone, punched in a number, and gave it back to me. "Now you're set. Meet you in twenty."

I nodded rather enthusiastically. Was this pathetic? I was super happy because I got a girl's number. Well, _Kairi's_ number… even if it was only for spying purposes. I felt like I achieved something great today.

Wiping the happy thought from my mind, I erased my smile and tried to adopt a nonchalant look. It worked. I was careful to blend in: I walked at a normal pace, didn't look around suspiciously, or cause a ruckus. I thought I was doing pretty well.

I settled on one of the many park benches, obscured by a few trees. I took out my phone and pretended to text, punching random numbers. The couple was about two o'clock from my position. I had a near-perfect view of them, just in-between the trees. As an added bonus, they were facing the opposite direction. I am _so _good.

I kept my eyes trained on the pair. Honestly, they weren't doing anything too interesting. Naminé seemed intent on her task, staring out into the distance. She didn't even look down at her pad to make sure she was doing it right. Roxas, on the other hand, would draw, steal a glance at Naminé, and turn away. HE looked rather nervous, but he never spoke a word to her. Maybe he didn't want to interrupt.

I kind of felt bad for him. But at the same time, I didn't understand him at all: why was he so afraid to do something with their relationship? Naminé wasn't the kind of person that would break his heart. IF anything, she probably liked him more than he liked her. At least, it seems that way. Even I notice how much she… loves him. How can he not see that in her?

I looked down at my phone. I've been playing the stalking game for fifteen minutes now, so I decided to update Kairi on my end. I scrolled through my phonebook and found her name.

Okay, now what? What should I do when she picks up? Hello… no, that's too formal. Hey Kairi? Yeah. "Hey Kairi, it's Sora… Uh…" What's next?

Should I tell her where I am? Does she even care? What if she asks why I'm calling? Is it a good enough reason?

My hands started to shake at the thought of calling her. Get a grip, Sora! This is strictly business! No need to get nervous!

The sound of a far-off dial tone caught my attention. The screen on my phone read "Calling Kairi…"

Oh shi—

"Hey, what's up?"

Oh gosh, should I answer her question? I thought I was supposed to say hi first! Should I even bother now? I mean, she knows it's me and everything, so maybe I should just say "nothing" or "just watching" or… or…

"Hello?"

"Hello, nothing! Hey Kairi! Hi!" I blabbered into the phone. My heart threatened to hop out of my chest and make a run for it.

"Hello to you too, Sora!" I heard her laugh on the other end. "You're such a goofball. What's up?"

The nervousness seemed to leave me, so I said in a much steadier voice, "I'm watching the target right now. They're about two o'clock from my position. They're facing the other direction."

"Nice! You picked a good spot there!" I felt rather proud: getting a compliment from a professional stalker was quite meaningful. "Well, I'm nine o'clock. I'm pretty sure they don't notice me at all."

"They haven't been talking at all, so I think you're good." I smiled into the phone. The conversation was going rather smoothly. "Say, Kairi… when's lunch?"

"Hungry already?" she giggled. "We'll go in a bit. When these two begin to move, so do we. I was hoping to see a love confession too…"

"Yeah, doesn't look likely today…" I trailed off as Naminé turned to Roxas with a smile. "Kairi, they're moving."

"I know. They're packing up. Probably a restaurant."

"Okay. Where's the rendezvous point?"

"Nice choice of words, my fellow spy!" As much as I wanted to correct her and say that we were stalkers, I bit my tongue. "Shoe store. It should be on your left."

"Kairi, there are four."

"Sora, fill your stereotype! Are you going to be shopping in that place that sells high heels, or that—"

"I get it, I get it. I'll see ya there then."

"Bye." She hung up before I could reply. I stood up, keeping one eye on the couple as I made my way to the store. I finally had to tear my gaze from them as I found myself at a short bridge. I stopped in my tracks, watching a line of ducks walk by. One after the other, the ducks waddled their way across the front of the bridge, clambering down into the river. The last one, the only brown one in the group, shook its head and wagged its tail. I waited for it to cross, but it remained still. I took a step forward, noting that its eyes were trained on me.

I quickly walked across its path. "Thanks." I nodded as I passed it. After walking a couple feet, I turned around to see it joining the rest of its group. What a polite little animal.

I found Kairi waiting inside the shoe store, pretending (or was she?) to look at the shoes on display.

"I was right. They're heading to _7__th__ Heaven_. We can't follow them in there, too risky." She didn't turn around to acknowledge me. "Go on, pretend you're doing something important."

"I highly doubt they'll see us anyway. And even if they do," I took one of the shoes Kairi appeared to be looking at and closely examined it, "we're disguised pretty well."

"Pretty well? Sora, you're looking at women's running shoes."

"Oh." I said dumbly. I was. "I'm shopping for my sister."

"Sure Sora." She looked over her shoulder and let out a long breath. "Coast is clear. We can speak regularly now."

"We weren't doing that already?" I placed the shoe back on display and smiled.

"No, we were conversing in an inconspicuous and unnoticeable manner. Now," She turned on her heel and walked out of the store; I quickly followed suit. "Where did you want to eat?"

"Hmm. I don't know. Why don't you decide, squad captain?" I poked her shoulder, causing her to slap my hand away and laugh.

"I'm not feeling a big lunch today. And you have no choice but to follow me."

* * *

Kairi took us to one of the many eateries where food was part of the side menu. In fact, the place mainly made smoothies, but in an effort to branch out, offered a variety of sandwiches and fast foods. I settled with a full-blown lunch meal, while Kairi ordered a simply strawberry smoothie. Since the weather was simply perfect today, we decided to sit outside. A little extra sunlight couldn't hurt anyone.

"So, was this one of the successful expeditions? Or are they normally that uneventful?" I asked the disguised girl before me.

She took a sip of her smoothie before replying, "Actually, this was uneventful, but that's probably because we were late." And whose fault was that, I wonder? "They usually flirt a lot before they calm down and draw. So sorry if you were bored out of your mind."

"No, it was exhilarating in its own way," I grinned at the thought. "And I'd have to say that I… er, we, came out as the clear cut winners in this mission." I put my hand up for a high five, which she enthusiastically returned.

"You make an excellent protégé. I'd like to declare you a full-fledged spy, but there is still much to learn." She pulled her wig off in one fluid motion. "I'm sure you understand."

"Does that mean I'll be going on these missions with you in the future?" I smiled widely.

"Perhaps." I continued eating as Kairi deftly removed her disguise. At one point I was looking down at my food, and when I looked up again, her eyes were back to that cross between light blue and lavender. Where she stored the lenses I had no idea, but I couldn't help but admire her skill.

"You've done this a ton of times, haven't you?" I hadn't quite finished chewing my food, but I was sure she understood me. She directed her attention at me and scratched her head in thought.

"Hmm. I'd say so. I remember last summer, Selphie and I did it every other day or something. There were a _lot_ of spying subjects back then. Gosh, everyone was pairing up left and right!"

"Sounds like a lot of fun."

"It was! If only you had been there! It was like… hmmm… like watching a romantic comedy live! Gosh it was so much _fun!_" she smiled at the memories, absently taking long sips of her smoothie.

"You know, I never took you for the 'hopeless romantic' type." I teased. She looked at me, indignant but playful.

"I am not like that! I just… like watching other people's relationships succeed!" She defended lamely. Did she expect me to buy it? "What, I'm not allowed to root for people?"

I laughed at her, finishing the last of my wonderfully tasty meal. "No, you can… but I can't help but get this impression that you're a _sucker_ for this kind of stuff."

She finished the rest of her drink, her mouth curling into an annoyed smile. "Mr. Sora, could it possibly be that you are making fun of me?"

"Maybe…" I snatched the empty cup from her hands and placed it on my tray. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"

"Nothing." She stood up and stuck her tongue out at me. "Maybe you're right!"

* * *

"Would you rather go skydiving or…"

"Come on, out with it! You got three seconds!"

"Or take a hot air balloon ride?!" I finished frantically. The unnecessary rushing didn't help one bit.

Kairi laughed at me before slowing her walk. "Hmm… you know, I'd rather go skydiving. You?"

"Definitely skydiving. Though, I'd love to go on hot air balloon ride one day." We continued walking toward the car, or as Kairi called it, the extraction point. I guess she was still sticking with her mission terminology. "Now you have to ask one again, since you copped out."

"Okay, okay, let me think…" My time with Kairi proved to be the most fun I've had in ages. We always found a common interest, and if we disagreed on something, it was usually on the most trivial thing ever.

Like how to put clothes in a drawer. Kairi preferred folding and stacking, while I preferred rolling the clothing up.

"Would you rather burn to death or freeze to death?"

"What in the world? Why are your questions so terrible?!" I asked in mock shock. She gave me a playful shove before telling me to answer the question. "Hmm… I think freeze. I'm pretty sure that you just stop feeling at one point and simply fall asleep."

"Yeah, I'd pick the same. Your turn."

"Okay. Ideal first kiss…"

"Aww, Sora! You're so cheesy!"

I rubbed my cheek where she had pinched me. "Yeah yeah, just answer the question…" I could feel my face getting hotter.

"You need to tell me what the question is first." She giggled, tucking strands of hair behind her ear. She was just too cute for her own good. Did she know she had this effect on people?

"Uh… kiss in the rain or under mistletoe?" Hey, why not? Girls like this stuff, and I'm curious.

"Ooh! That's tough!" she swung her bag with every step, contemplating her choice. "I'd have to go with the rain. If it's raining, then the boy can't just let go of you. You'll get cold!" She wrapped her arms around her body at the thought. "And I'm sure I'm going to like the boy I kiss, so being wrapped up in his arms would just be a bonus."

My mind found it necessary to create the very scene Kairi had described in my head. My mind flashed through the scenes, and I had to make the extra effort to purge the thoughts.

"You are a hopeless romantic, aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" She ran ahead and spun herself around a lamppost. "Makes it a whole lot easier for a guy. All he has to do is copy what he sees in movies and he's good to go!"

If only it were really that easy. "I suppose."

We finally arrived at the car. Kairi popped the trunk open, giving me access to my own clothes.

I can finally take this stupid jersey off.

"Uh, you can just change in the car or something… or…"

"It's only a shirt, so I'll just change outside." An awkward silence surrounded us as she quickly turned around and I slipped on my own shirt. I threw the jersey in the trunk and closed it. "Okay. We ready to go?"

"Not quite…" she drifted off, staring into the distance. "I see a big red sign over there, "she pointed to the far off distance, "and I smell a sale."

"And I take you want to check it out?" I asked, a smile creeping onto my face.

She turned to me with a mischievous smile. "We have time, so…"

I folded my hands behind my head and laughed. "Why not?"

* * *

I didn't doubt Kairi's eyes for a sale sign; what I didn't expect was her nose for a sale. She led me to a store that sold a variety of soaps, lotions, and perfumes and, quite honestly, the place was overwhelming to the senses. At least the sense of smell.

Despite the time of day, the store had more than a fair share of customers.

"Whatcha looking for?"

"Lotion." Well, obviously.

"What kind?"

"The best kind… there!" she pointed to a shelf just out of her reach. "That one! Get it for me!"

You know, it really made me realize how much taller I was. A little ego booster there. "What's the magic word?"

"Now."

Okay, I guess that counts too.

I reached up and grabbed two bottles of lotion. "Cherry almond?"

"Yes! It's one of my favorites!" she popped the lid open and took a whiff. "Aaah. Here, smell it."

She didn't give me the chance to decide because she nearly shoved the thing up my nose. "All right, all right, I'll see if it deserves the Sora stamp of approval…" It smelled really good.

Oh. Sorry for the lack of description. I just figured "cherry-almond" would be descriptive enough.

"Doesn't it smell wonderful?"

"Like cherry-almond!" See? Kairi laughed, snapping the bottle close.

"Do you think that maybe you can grab me two more bottles?" she asked nicely.

"Since you did it in such a proper manner, I think I will." I took two more off the high shelf and handed them to her.

"Thanks. Now do you wanna pay for it?"

"Sora? Kairi?" a familiar voice sounded from behind. I whipped around to find Roxas staring at us with mischievous eyes and a smile playing at his lips.

"Roxas! What are you doing here?" Kairi asked, just as surprised as I was. Did he know we were in here? Did he know we were around the whole time?

"What are you guys doing here? Alone… shopping together… holding hands…" his voice trailed off, and I quickly looked at my hands.

We weren't holding hands!

"Haha, made you look!" Wow, that's incredibly childish. And when Sora says it's childish, you better believe that it is.

"Roxas, what the hell are you doing in this store?" Kairi sounded a little annoyed, a light tinge of pink on her face.

He shrugged. "The same thing you two are doing, I guess." We looked at him quizzically before he responded. "Spying on you."

We froze in horror.

"Haha! Just kidding! Though, you two must've been alone for quite a long time if you got that scared… or better yet, you must've done something… _naughty."_

"Shut up man." I blew a strand of hair out of my face. For a second there I thought he knew.

"So why aren't you with Naminé?" Kairi turned the tables fast. And it worked: Roxas was suddenly the fidgety child standing shyly in front of us. I folded my hands behind my head and smiled triumphantly. Nice, Kairi. Nice.

"She's… shopping somewhere…" He scratched the back of his head and looked away. Did the wicker basket holding green apple shampoo suddenly turn into an alien or something? I checked just in case.

"Why did you ditch her then?"

"I didn't ditch her! I just… just…"

"Roxas, where is she?"

"She…" he sighed in defeat. "She's in the lingerie store…"

What?

Kairi mumbled behind me, "Oh my gosh, she actually did it…." I turned around and gave her a confused look. She pretended as if she hadn't said anything.

"What?" Roxas, who was left out of our little exchange, now looked rather confused.

"Did you say som—"

"So Naminé really _is_ in there?" Kairi pointed outside. I assumed the place was across from us, because Roxas wouldn't venture too far from where Naminé was.

He shuffled his feet and ran a hand through his hair before replying, "Yeah…"

"Don't act like you don't want to go in there!" she laughed before adding, "What kind of guy wouldn't want to go in there and see what's inside?"

Well, about that… I have no desire to walk into those kinds of stores…

"I'm not a pervert, Kairi!"

"Oh please…Sora!"

"Yeah?"

"Will you accompany Roxas to Naminé's location?"

What? Why me?

"Do I have t—" I stared into Kairi's adamant eyes and froze.

"Let me rephrase that. Accompany Roxas to Naminé's location. _Now._"

Yikes. "Okay." Without another word, I left the store, pulling Roxas along with me.

"Man, she's scary, isn't she? You chose such a feisty one."

"What do you mean by _chose?_" I asked, feigning obliviousness. He didn't look convinced, so I changed the subject. "So… does Naminé normally do this?"

"Do what?" Oh, now look who's playing stupid.

"Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about. Or would you rather I put it bluntly?" For once, I had power in the conversation. It felt good to be the one pushing the other person around.

"Okay, okay…" he finally relented, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "She's never done this before. Never. I don't know if this is some kind of scam or a… a…"

"Dream come true?" I teased. He smacked me upside the head.

Ouch. I think I deserved that.

"Don't go putting words into my mouth!" Ah, he was finally blushing. Someone's in denial.

"Okay. I'll leave you alone." I stopped walking when we reached the entrance of the lingerie store. From here, I could see practically everything… of course, everything except Naminé. It was like the store was giving us no choice to go in. I cleared my throat and folded my hands behind my head. Like hell I was going in there. "Well, here we are. Go get her!"

"What?" He grabbed my arm just as I was leaving, nearly pulling me off balance. "You can't make me go in there alone! Kairi told you that you had to _accompany_ me to Naminé's location!"

"Didn't I just do that?"

"Do you _see_ Naminé anywhere? How do you know you did when she's not here?"

"You said it yourself! Naminé was in the…" The name and place didn't feel right in the same sentence, so I finished, "…store."

"Yeah, we're in the area, but not at the exact location!"

"I don't understand why you won't go in!"

"Well why don't you go in and I follow?"

"See, I'm not the one who secretly _wants_ to go in." Ha. Silence. I win. "So, as I said before, I'll see ya—"

"If you don't come with me, I'm going to tell Kairi."

Ugh. He's playing _that_ card. Well then… let's try to play it off.

"So?"

"Kairiii!" he yelled in the direction of the store we just left. Damn!

"Okay, okay! I'll go! Jeez…" I made my way toward the store and stopped again. "Wait. You go first."

"So you actually don't care if I tell her?"

"She told me to accompany you, not to take you or lead you to Naminé. As far as we both know, I'm doing nothing wrong." HA! Eat that, Roxas! You just got served! Slammed! _Owned_ by Sora!

He looked a little hesitant at first, but he trudged on. "Fine… just come with me…"

And so we entered the _lingerie_ shop. Everything inside was so… _foreign._ In fact, I had to wonder how girls managed to put some of the stuff on. Like, how do they know which hole their leg goes in, or where… nevermind. Point is, there were a lot of weird clothes in the place. Roxas seemed just as lost and confused as I did. We quickly walked past a rack of see-through clothing (did people actually buy that stuff? What was the point?) and finally found Naminé.

In the _risqué_ section.

Holding a… well, I didn't know what it was. A string?

"N-Naminé?" Roxas squeaked. Namine's head whipped around, the… _thing_ immediately dropping from her hands.

"Roxas! And Sora! W-what in the world are you doing here?"

"I uh… well, you see, Kairi… uh…" I turned to Roxas for a bit of help, but his eyes were trained on the so-called article of clothing that had previously been in the small, innocent hands of Naminé.

Naminé seemed to notice what Roxas was looking at and stood in front of it. "C-can you believe this place? They charge so much for things… like 220 munny for that thing! There's more fabric in a shoelace than in that thing!"

Oh, that thing you were holding? Looking at it as if it were a prospective buy?

"W-were you gonna buy t-that?" Roxas sputtered. If he wasn't red before, he certainly was now.

"No! Of course not! I just found it on the floor and I was putting it back! The uh… the price! It was so ridiculous it caught my eye, and you know, I just had to put it back…"

Silence.

It was so incredibly awkward. The two blondes were looking at everything except each other (and of course Roxas's eyes were darting all over the place. There was just no escape!). I should've let Roxas tell Kairi on me or something. This was just plain weird.

Wait, why was I still here?

""Whoa!" I grabbed my pocket and yanked out my phone, adjusting the setting on my phone to make it vibrate. "Looks like Kairi's calling. I'll catch you two later!" And with that, I left the awkward little bubble and dashed out of the store. As soon as I was outside, I felt liberated. I don't expect you to understand, but I just don't like being in those kinds of stores.

I looked around the area, hoping to spot a certain redhead. I finally saw her sitting at a random picnic table, so I ran over to her. "Kairi!"

She turned to me, a smile forming on her face. "Hey there. Enjoy your trip?"

"You say that as if I went on my own accord."

She laughed. Hmm. I'd laugh to if I were the one in power. Soak it up, Kairi. I'll get you back. "Oh, it couldn't have possibly been that bad. You ready to go?"

"Not yet. You knew something about this. Roxas told me Naminé _never_ does this when he's with her. So what's going on?" I sat across from her, facing the store I had just left. Blech.

"Well, if you must know, Naminé was actually… hmm. Naminé was fulfilling a… suggestion."

"Whose?"

She thought about it for a while before answering, "Well, all of us, actually. Us girls, that is. Last night at the party, Naminé and Roxas were the talk of the night." Well, maybe for you girls. _We_ were the topic of choice last night, Kairi. "And of course, when a tightly-knit group of girls come together, you're bound to learn something. Of course, none of the news was new to me, but a lot of the other girls assumed that something had already happened."

"Can't blame 'em…"

"Nope." She shook her head. "And then Selphie made Naminé explain _everything_. 'Cause, you know, Selphie's the queen of seduction." Kairi added sarcastically. "Turns out Naminé has never pulled the seduction card on Roxas. Selphie, being outgoing and daring, suggested a strip tease. Everyone else thought that was a bit too radical."

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help from imagining the scene in my head. Dear… oh gosh. My _mind!_ "Ugh, no…"

"Yeah. I think Olette suggested the lingerie store. That almost turned on her…" she laughed to herself before continuing, "and it turned into a Hayner-Olette thing. Naminé missed an opportunity to change the subject there. Anyway, we all thought that trying on different kinds of lingerie was still a little too risqué."

"It is. That's almost as bad as a striptease…"

"So, per Xion's suggestion— much to Naminé's surprise— we all came to the agreement that she should just take Roxas inside. Get his imagination going, you know?"

"Oh, like a win-win. Naminé gets to keep her clothes on, and she plays a kind of seduction game." Weird, since it's definitely something Naminé would _not_ do. It's also weird to call that a win, but I digress.

"Sure. We thought the same as well, minus Naminé. But look how far peer pressure goes!" Kairi laughed, folding her hands on the table. "I didn't think she would do it, but she did. What I did _not_ take into account was the fact that Roxas would not go in. I thought guys liked that stuff."

"Well, some, I think… I guess you could just say that Roxas is just as modest and innocent as Naminé."

"Perhaps. But all guys are perverts on the inside. He probably didn't want to tempt himself." For some reason, I got the feeling she threw a quick punch about our first encounter. "So what'd you see on that wonderful journey of yours? I take you found her, despite the distractions."

"We did, but in a rather unusual manner." I hinted.

"Go on."

"Well, we actually had to go through a lot of weird sections. Did you know they sell see-through clothing? What's the point?"

"Yes, Sora, I've been in there many times." Don't think about it, Sora, don't think about it! "So where'd you find her?"

"In that sort of section. She was kinda holding a… piece of string? It was supposedly underwear, but quoting Naminé, there was 'more fabric in a shoelace' than in that thing."

"Oh my gosh…" Kairi chuckled, rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand. "I'm starting to think Naminé isn't as innocent as she seems."

She told us that she found it on the floor and was putting it back…" Kairi lifted her hand to give me a skeptical look, "Yeah, I didn't believe her either. Anyway, it was extremely awkward, so I just kinda left."

So for all we know they could still be standing across from each other, awkward and all?"

"They might."

"Wanna check it out?" she rose from her seat, biting her lip in anticipation.

"Nope." She sat back down again.

"Aww. Fine."

"You can go without me, you know."

"Yeah, but it's no fun without you." She took out her phone, checking the time. Wait, did she really think that she could say something like that and not go on? "Huh. My alarm rang five minutes ago. Time to pick up the kids." Guess so.

"After you then."

Our walk back to the car was in a comfortable silence. Kairi had asked me to carry her bags (I suppose with the lack of a judging eye, she went crazy in the store), and I idly swung them back and forth as we made our way out. Looking back on today so far, I'd have to say that it's been the most fun I've had in a while. It was just Kairi and I, enjoying our time downtown. Sure, I could've gone without the wardrobe decisions before arriving, but that could be easily overlooked.

After all, this was the closest thing I've had to a date with a girl.

* * *

**RE: **I would like to take this moment to thank these very awesome people**:****-Gothic-Rainbow-, Fanfiction Fanatiction, SecretAgent99, ShadowSpooky, Electron Beam, dearlybelovedangel, IConcurVehemently, Blood Seraph, msdramaqueeny, colormecrayon, Tayt63, kikofreako, KHgatomon3444, Dynasty021, Naivette, co426e, Cake, young gun kid, IDontKnowWhatToCallMyself, mattjesse, MoonCastic, kairi koaru, Aldergrace, Lebrezie, TinaalovesMints, and EloquentDisaster.  
**

** Take care, everyone. I'll see you guys around!  
**


	9. Acceptance

Chapter 9: Acceptance

Well the more I thought about it, the more it seemed that our little spying mission was a date.

So I tried not to think about it.

Sora fell asleep as soon as he sat down in the car. Really, the guy was knocked out. I reminded him to put on a seatbelt one second, and the next he's knocked out cold. He's a pretty heavy sleeper too: every red light I've hit, I've taken the opportunity to play with his hair. That's more fun than it sounds.

"Red light!" I said out loud. We weren't too far from the recreational center now. I flicked one of the many spikes on Sora's head. He didn't stir, so I gently blew on his hair, watching even more spikes bob back and forth. Ah, I was having a good day. Could you tell? I was entertaining myself with the hair of a sleeping boy. So there, it's either a good day, or I was extremely bored. And so far, being with Sora hadn't been boring.

Ugh. And this is how it gets back to the day. I don't think I've ever had so much fun with a guy ever. Like ever. Maybe he just made a great spying partner… I don't know. Well, I do, but that's not the reason. I mean, why would I enjoy being with a guy I kinda-maybe-sorta-like the whole day? Wouldn't that just be called torture or something? I'm no masochist; I wouldn't tempt myself like that.

Tempt myself to do what?

"Ugh, quit thinking, Kairi…" I needed to verbally reprimand myself. Stay on track, Kairi.

The light finally turned green, and soon I arrived at the rec center. Sora was still fast asleep when I pulled into a parking spot, so I was challenged with the decision to wake Sora up or to let him sleep.

Now let's see… do I trust the people on Destiny Islands? For the most part, yes. The fact that there's a seventeen year old guy sleeping in the passenger's seat greatly reduces the chance of any problem. Plus, I'm pretty sure Sora could fight off anyone— okay, maybe not everyone, but most people, if they try to take my car. I looked at Sora's sleeping form, assessing my odds and trying my luck.

The guy was more likely to be molested by a passing girl in his sleep rather than attacked by a car robber. I see it now: the poor kid wakes up and there's a strange girl on top of him, feeling him up.

Not that I've tried to or considered it myself. Just… you know, it was more likely for that to happen.

Right.

I got out of my car in complete confidence and made my way inside the recreational center. The kids' camp was on the first floor, on the western side of the building. The pool they had here was quite large, probably 50 meters or so in length. I arrived at the viewing window, standing next to one or two older siblings obviously waiting to pick their respective brother or sister up.

The kids were swimming back to the wall with their arms outstretched, holding what appeared to be kickboards. Vaan and Penelo were already done, as each of them was sitting on the side bleachers, the water dripping from their smiling faces. They were just so adorable. I will _never_ get tired of saying it either.

The kids were excited to see me when I entered the locker room. Bad timing on my part as Vaan was standing stark naked with a huge smile on his face in the most private corner of the noisy locker room.

"Kairi! You're here!" the children exclaimed excitedly.

"Yep! Vaan, put your shorts back on, we'll change when we get home. Penny, do you have all your bags?" Vaan slipped his swimming trunks back on and threw the clothes he was going to change into back in his little bag. "Good. Now that everyone's fully clothed, we can get outta here…"

"Can we get milkshakes?" The cute little blond boy asked as we left the locker room.

"Vaan, I'll make us some strawberry milkshakes when we get home."

Penelo scrunched her face in disgust. "I don't like strawberry."

"Well Penny, what do you like?"

"Chocolate."

"I like chocolate too! Can you make chocolate milkshakes?"

We passed through the exit and made our way toward the car. To my relief, everything was okay. "Yeah, I can make chocolate. We'll all have chocolate milkshakes when we get home then, okay?"

"Yay!"

"Yes!" I watched them hop into the car, making sure they put on their seatbelts. I climbed into my own seat, checking up on the sleeping boy next to me. My gosh, he's been asleep for at least fifteen minutes now…

"Hey, why is Sora here?"

"Oh, Sora and I were out with some friends. Roxas. We were out with Roxas."

"Was Na—" Vaan was interrupted by his own yawn, "—né there?"

"Yeah. She was. They told me to tell you guys that they say hi too!"

"We'll say hi later. They should come to dinner." Already, the kids were slipping into a slumber. Well, that was fast. Maybe I was gonna have a quiet ride to the house again.

* * *

As expected, I was the only conscious person when we reached the Strife household. I sat in the driveway for a while, trying to give everyone a couple extra minutes of sleep. It wasn't long before I decided that everyone in the car wasn't worth the gas.

I mean, it was a lot more comfortable inside, so why not go down? Yeah. Comfort, real air conditioning, more room… sounds great.

"Pssst… Sora…" I poked his shoulder, hoping to get a reaction. I didn't. "Sora!" I called more forcefully, "you need to help me get the kids inside! They're asleep!"

"So'm I…" he mumbled. Ugh.

"Time to stop snoozin', you lazy bum!" He didn't seem to like that approach, as he turned away from me in his seat. I unbuckled his seatbelt for him and poked him again. "Just help me with the kids and you can go back to sleep inside, okay?" There. Much nicer and pretty sounding.

He actually got up without a word, though it definitely looked like he was still asleep, and he grabbed Vaan and all the stuff in the backseat. I took the little sister, and we made our way to the front door. After carefully putting the kids on the couch, a feat that Sora managed to accomplish much to my surprise, I returned to the car to bring down all of my own stuff. I came back inside to find Sora knocked out on the recliner.

That didn't take long.

So, what to do now that I have free time? I could start on those shakes, but that might wake everyone up. I could take a shower, but if one of the kids woke up… well, that might be a problem. So the only option left was to… hmm.

Play with Sora's hair.

Yeah. Let's do that one.

My phone vibrated on the table before I could make any movement toward Sora. Now who's getting in the way of my entertainment? I didn't even bother to check the phone as I picked it up. This better be important.

"Hello?"

"Kairi, it's Naminé. You busy right now?"

Kind of. "No, I'm not. Something wrong?" Because I want to get off the phone and resume the game I was playing in the car.

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to… talk." Judging by her tone of voice, I would have to guess that she was suspicious of something. "So I saw Sora downtown today and he told me you guys were there."

"And?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

Well what the hell is that supposed to mean? "Tell you what?"

"We're you and Sora on a… you know, date? From what Roxas told me—"

"Oh! Were you and Roxas on one of your little dates?"

"Kairi, it wasn't a date. Can't two friends hang out as they please?"

"Well that's what Sora and I were doing today too. It wasn't a date, and I don't know why you said it was."

"Kairi, I _asked_ if it was a date. I never said that it was." Oh. Oops. "There's no need to get all defensive."

"I'm not being defensive!" I, admittedly, said defensively. What, was I just supposed to take that? I was not being defensive! At the current moment, yes, but not before!

"Are you hiding something from me, Kairi?" Whoa. Wait a second. Did she think she was just going to be able to seize control of this conversation just like that?

"Was there a reason why you called me, Naminé? I can hardly believe that you'd be wasting your time with me when Roxas is there with you."

"Well, Roxas is actually in the new bakery here in downtown. He's buying cupcakes, and I chose to wait outside."

"Are you perhaps embarrassed about something?" I hinted. Good thing she couldn't see me smiling right now.

"No. I just don't want to tempt myself with all the cookies and cupcakes and whatnot inside." Hmm. And I eat babies for breakfast. Get it? It's false.

"Poor guy. He's probably looking over his shoulder every four seconds to make sure you're still standing there."

"No he's— okay, he is, but so what?"

"Exactly, Naminé. Exactly. So, you called because?"

She sighed into the phone. I was finally going to get an answer. "We need to have a private conversation. I really have to discuss something with you. Do you mind if we stop by tonight? We'll bring you guys cupcakes and everything. "

Oh, well in that case, "Of course. I'm expecting something super important."

"It is… well, Roxas is paying now. He's gonna be outside soon, so yeah… thanks a bunch, Kairi. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, we'll be waiting. Bye." With the last words of the conversation, I hung up the phone. I listed all the possibilities that could have called for such an urgent cry for help; each one of the items was somehow tied to Roxas. Did I lose the bet already? If I did, then I guess you could say it would be the first time I would be happy that I lost.

"Guess I'll just find out when they get here…" I said to myself. Sora stirred in his place but didn't wake up. I expected him to be out for at least another twenty minutes. And the kids would be out of it for another thirty. The call ruined my mood to play the "Play With Sora's Hair Game," and I once again found myself with nothing to do. Maybe I could take a shower…

My phone buzzed in my hand, urging me to answer. I checked the caller ID and saw a surprising name. Opening the device, I asked into the receiver, "Riku?"

"Hey Kairi. What's up?"

"N-nothing. Everything's fine. I've been home for about five or ten minutes, I think. Why, something the matter? Don't you have work?"

"Yeah, but I'm on my first break. The crowd finally slowed down, but it should pick up again in an hour and a half. I have fifteen minutes to recuperate and get ready for another grueling service."

"Oh…" I didn't know what to say. Riku never called me on his breaks. At least, I didn't remember him doing so. "Was there anything you needed or something? 'Cause Roxas and Naminé are coming by later for dinner, and you could always join us."

"Oh, tempting offer, but I'm working 'til closing. And can't a guy just talk with a friend on break? I don't really wanna talk with my co-workers after having to pick up for their slack."

"Don't worry then, I got time on my hands." I'm only missing a shower. "So… what's up?"

"Didn't catch you guys around lunch today." Oh, that's right! He told us to come by. "I assumed you guys forgot."

"Yeah, I did! Sorry Riku, it completely slipped my mind!"

"Don't apologize; it was less work for me!" He sounded like he was trying to make a joke out of it. I knew better. "So… uh, what'd you guys do for lunch then?"

"We were downtown together, so we decided to try one of the restaurants there." Well, I picked the place, but yeah. "We just had a small lunch before shopping a little bit."

"Oh. So you guys spent the whole day together?" The question had many heavy implications.

"Er, yeah… but it wasn't a date, if that's what you were insinuating."

"I wasn't. I'm not that nosy, Kairi." Silence took over the conversation after he said that. "Er, sorry to bother you, I guess. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. See you later, Riku."

"Bye." And with that, the strange conversation ended. Was it that strange for me to spend the day with Sora? It seemed like everyone was eager to know about my life all of a sudden. And sure, Sora was a great guy to hang out with, and he was cute too, but why did everyone make assumptions that we suddenly had something going?

Can I just be friends with a guy who I've known for a few days without reeling in all this attention and criticism?

* * *

The shower I had taken helped clear my mind of all thoughts, and I was somewhat relieved to see everyone still asleep. I changed into a more comfortable outfit, donning a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Not to mention I got to use my newly-bought lotion. Highlight of my day.

I made sure to go about as quietly as possible, making it as far the kitchen without making a significant noise. I looked around, wondering what I was going to do with dinner tonight. Okay, here's a Kairi confession from the heart: I can't cook for my life. I'm kind of dangerous in the kitchen, a liability of sorts. Think back if you don't believe me: I didn't cook for the kids the first night; the boys made the meals for the second night, and last night we had pizza delivered. See how I've managed to dodge such a duty?

And now you're questioning my competency as a babysitter.

"There's gotta be something in here with directions. Something I can make…" And that was the extent of my cooking ability. If there were directions, chances are I could probably make it.

Well, I take that back. The last attempt at pancakes failed miserably. That's a story I try to forget.

"Why don't we settle with macaroni and cheese for tonight?" I jumped when a voice sleepily answered my earlier question.

"Sora? Jeez, you scared me!" I turned to him, looking him up and down. "Did you just wake up?"

"Just in time to answer your question, yeah…" he yawned, stretching his arms out and over his head. "What time is it? How long was I out?"

"Almost an hour and a half total. Do you remember me asking for your help with the kids?"

"You did?"

"Guess not…" I shrugged, laughing to myself. So he wasn't really awake after all. I pulled three boxes of Sora's suggested meal and straightened up. This would do.

"Did you change or something?" It sounded like an attempt at conversation rather than a yes-or-no question. So I answered, "Yup. Took a shower while you guys were sleeping." I grabbed a few boxes from the pantry and turned to Sora. "Do you think three is enough?"

"No. You'd be better off with four. Roxas and I could easily finish two boxes, and two boxes split between you four seems like enough too."

Hmm. "Funny… I don't remember telling you Roxas and Naminé were coming over. Were you eavesdropping?"

He laughed at the accusation, walking in my direction with a phone in hand. "Roxas sent me a text, telling me they were heading over. I blame it for waking me up. It vibrated violently in my butt pocket."

I couldn't stop a smile from forming on my face. "Sounds like the ideal way to reenter the world of the living."

"Yup. Nothing can pull you back like a vibrating— nevermind." We shared a laugh, and the sound of his sent a warm feeling throughout my body. The feeling of happiness really suited Sora. "Hmm." He leaned toward me for a brief second before pulling away.

"What?"

"You smell like the lotion you just bought. Cherry something?"

"Almond." I smiled. "It obviously doesn't appeal to you." I walked away, opening a cupboard and pulling out a large pot.

"Now why do you say that?"

"Because you would've complimented me like a normal gentleman would." I chastised. He knew full-well that I was kidding around, his large grin matching my own smile. "You would've said something like 'Kairi, you have a wonderful aroma about you' or 'Kairi…' well, finish the compliment with something cheesy."

"So you would rather I just blatantly state 'Hey Kairi, you smell really good'?" His smile was a confident, mocking taunt.

"Now that I think about it…" Should I give him the satisfaction of victory? Yes, I would have been unsettled if he blatantly said that, but he didn't have to know that. "Yeah. I would've liked for you to say that instead of 'Kairi, you smell.'"

The last bit got him emotional. "I didn't say that! I just said that you smelled like the lotion you just bought!"

"Same thing." I teased. Ha, I got him going now. "But I get it. You don't like it. But you know what? I'm going to keep on using it anyway, whether you like it or not!"

He was suddenly right in front of me, his hands on the box of macaroni. "Kairi, I never said I didn't like it! In fact, I think it smells really really good, and that you should wear it all the time!"

"You think I should _wear_ my lotion?" I forcefully tried to take the box out of his hands. Fail.

"Kairi…" he almost whined. Could I classify as a sadist? I was getting so much enjoyment out of this.

"So you think it's good?"

"I think it's great." He turned on the stove after I placed the pot full of water on top.

"And you like the smell of it?"

"Kairi, you have a wonderful aroma about you." He quoted. It almost sounded sarcastic, but his goofy grin was enough communicate his real sincerity.

"Now you're just saying that."

"Only to make you happy."

Wait, what? "Or to get on… you're just trying to get on my good side."

"Aww, c'mon Kairi!" Sora crossed his arms, a smirk playing at his lips. "Is it really that farfetched for me to want my friends to be happy?"

I felt as if there were some sort of power shift in the conversation. Suddenly I felt like I was the vulnerable one. I looked at the person in front of me and cursed his charm. People like him shouldn't be allowed to speak at times.

"Yes, because everyone has an ulterior motive. What do you want from me?" You know, besides getting in my pants.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You are so incredibly paranoid. How about I get your trust for a start?"

"See? I knew you wanted something." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Kairi!" he half-laughed, half-whined. "Don't be so difficult—"

"I'm a girl, I'm not difficult."

He paused, letting the statement run through his head. "…Well, I'd have to strongly disagree with that statement, since the two mean the same thing."

"Sora!"

"What!" he rubbed his shoulder where I had smacked him, "just voicing my point of view! And the word _girl_ to me is the same as difficult, confusing, incomprehensible, and any other word under the category of 'not so easy to understand.' And!" he raised his arms in defense when I raised my hand again. "It applies to every girl!"

He quickly ran to the other side of the counter, laughing when I missed his body. Damn. "Why you! I am not difficult! And I do believe I am making myself very clear! What is so confusing about girls anyway?"

"Well for starters, you bleed every month and don't die." I couldn't help but laugh with him. "Kidding, kidding! But before I answer your question, why don't you answer mine?"

He had a question? "Er, what was it exactly?"

"Do you not trust me? I really didn't have an ulterior motive." The conversation was getting serious again.

"I trust you, Sora. But I find it hard to believe that you would genuinely do things for the sole purpose of making me happy."

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Because…" I don't think you like me enough to do that. "Just because."

"Kairi, there has to be a reason."

"Because… we've only known each other for so long. What, three or four days, right?" But apparently I didn't need more than that to feel this way about you. "But…"

"I get it." He said simply. I locked my eyes with him, searching for anything. Pure sincerity and understanding. His blue eyes were hidden away by his laughter, obscured by his happy expression. "Guess I'll have to work for that trust then, huh? To make you realize that I'll do what it takes to make you happy without something in return."

It was those very things that had me melting like chocolate in Sora's hands. Those small things that just made me feel something new in my heart. I smiled effortlessly, wondering if I would ever be able to top his happiness. Maybe if I hung around him long enough he'd rub off on me. "Sora…"

The knocking at the door stole our attention. "I'll get it." We said at the same time. And then laughed at the same time. And then laughed _again_ at the same time.

"Wow, that was weird…"

"You're telling me…" I opened the door to reveal Roxas and Naminé, the latter holding a bag and a box tied with a red ribbon.

"Ooh! The cupcakes!" I immediately took the heavy box off my friend's hands. I know, I know, I'm such a saint.

"Well hello to you too!" Roxas sarcastically greeted, pulling Naminé inside with him. "Why are you two so happy and smiley? It's suspicious…"

Heeding Roxas's words, I looked at Sora. "Hmm. You're right. Sora, wipe that smile off your face. It's disgusting." He obeyed, his smile disappearing in the next second. "Wow. Good job."

"Thanks!" he smiled widely, breaking the act. "What's in the box?"

"Cupcakes! There's half a dozen, so that's one for each of us." Naminé informed him. "What are you guys up to?"

"Oh, we were just…" Oops. Forgot about that. "Sora!"

"Yeah, I know!" he was already in the kitchen when I turned around. "It's all good! It was about to boil over though!"

"Kairi, only you would fail at boiling water." Roxas sighed with a condescending smile.

"Roxas, don't be mean to Kairi. Go help Sora with the food. What was it that you were cooking?"

"Just macaroni and cheese." I answered. Roxas took the cupcakes from me and headed into the kitchen without a word of resistance. Naminé had such power over the guy. "So, what'd you want to talk about? And what's in the box?"

"Upstairs. And it's something I bought."

"You actually bought something?!" she smiled sheepishly as we walked up the stairs. "Wasn't the plan to try stuff on or something?"

"Kairi, that is a lot worse than what I bought, in my opinion. I even got you something, so you should be excited!"

"Oh, joy. Just what I wanted to hear." We entered my room and closed the door, securing a private spot for the important talk. "So tell me what's on your mind. Wait, nevermind. I wanna see what you got."

"Of course. This one's for you." She threw a white shirt in my direction. I caught it, observing the product. "Yes, it's normal, and it was on sale. Go figure. The regular clothing in there isn't too bad."

"Thanks, but is there a reason why you bought me a white t-shirt?"

"You didn't hear?" Naminé looked at me quizzically. "We're going to the beach. The whole group. Dress code is jeans and a white t-shirt."

"Dress code?"

"Yeah. We'll be taking pictures, so that's what the occasion calls for. Isn't it exciting?"

"Sure… though I still don't see why you'd get me this for that occasion. I have a ton of white t-shirts."

"Not a new one, and certainly not one this comfortable. Trust me, just take the gift. I'll force you to wear it if I have to."

"Fine, fine!" I tossed the shirt onto the nightstand. I'll get it later. "So, are you gonna show me what you bought for yourself?"

"It's nothing. Not nearly as important as what I want to talk about."

"Well if it's not too important, then it won't take long!" I snatched the bag from her lap and pulled out its contents. "Is this a night dress? And it's all silk!"

"Kairi!" she reached for it, but I held it out of her range. I let it unfold and took a good look at it. Wow, this was _risqué. _Not only was it that, but it was also _sexy._ "Why did I bring the whole bag down?" Naminé whined, burying her face in one of my pillows.

"Wow. I never knew you had it in you. What did Roxas think when he saw this?"

"Hef…" Naminé muttered something incoherent into her pillow.

"What did he say?" I asked tauntingly. She didn't answer. "It looks just like your favorite dress only… silkier and loose and… shorter? Naminé, does this even cover your whole butt?"

"Kairi!" a red-faced Naminé angrily groaned under the pillow. "Of course it does! It fits, okay?!"

"Sheesh, I'm kidding! I like it. And I'm sure Roxas does too."

"Ugh!" she tried to take her nightgown back, but my reflexes were better. Sorry, but an athlete beats an artist in this field, hon. "Just give it back so I can return it already."

"What?!" Like hell she was going to do that! "This thing is so darn _amazing! _You just have to keep it! And definitely wear this tonight. It'll increase your… _chances._"

"Oh, and what chances would that be?" She took the offered nightgown and stuffed it back in the bag, "Do tell, Kairi, what chances I'm increasing."

"Why, the chances of whatever you wish Roxas would do to you every night."

"Kairi!"

"What?" You asked for it. "Don't deny it."

"Why did I even come here? I'm leaving." I didn't even let her take a step away from the bed. She shot me an agitated look and buried her face in another pillow. "I hate you."

"I know. Now really, I know you didn't come here to discuss how hot heavy you wish the relationship was…"

"What relationship…" The words were muffled by her pillow. "You say that as if there was something already in existence."

Oh no. It was one of those conversations. "Naminé…"

"I'm giving up. To me it seems like I'm after something that will never be in my reach." She uncovered her face, showing me her sad smile. "This chase is futile, isn't it?"

"Why do you say that?" I needed to know what was going on before I let her do this. Why the sudden change?

"Kairi, he didn't even react." She laughed forcefully, sighing as she gripped a pillow. "When he and Sora walked in— oh, I know he told you, but I really was putting that thing back—"

"Okay, Naminé. I believe you. But that is probably the least important thing you have to say to me." I teased, earning a chuckle for my efforts.

"Yeah. As I was saying, Roxas didn't even react. To anything." She turned a bit, facing me completely. "It was awkward at first, and then it was like he completely shut down."

"Maybe he was trying to do that. You know, so it wouldn't be awkward."

"He didn't even smile. Ugh, what a horrible idea. He probably thinks I'm some kind of slut now."

"Naminé!" What was with the self-deprecation? "Don't say that! Roxas knows you're not. You have too much self-respect."

"I don't think he thinks that way anymore, which is why I should probably give up. If he doesn't find me attractive at all, is there any chance of him… you know, asking me out?"

"Naminé what has gotten into you? You're so down!" I pulled her up, forcing her to sit straight. "Did something happen between you two? Tell me."

"Nothing happened, which is why I guess I'm kinda miffed." She shrugged, running her hand through her hair. "I was hoping for something. Just like every time, I always hope he does _something._ But it hasn't happened, and I'm out of ideas—" she gave me a hard look before saying, "logical ideas. I don't want any of that stuff concerning jealousy and whatnot. I don't want to destroy what I have with him… what I'll have with him for the rest of my life."

"Oh, you need to be quiet!" I poked her sides, forcing a smile out of her. "You really need to lighten up. Have you been watching sappy romance movies again? Oh. I know what you were doing. You were watching old couples in the park and daydreaming, wondering what that future with Roxas would be like!"

"Kairi, just shut up. I'm trying to be depressed here and you're ruining it." Her smile, coupled with her monotone voice, made me laugh.

"And I'm trying to cheer you up. And it's working, so I win!" I poked her sides again, making her jerk in all directions.

"Kairi, stop!"

"Only if you promise to stop being so depressed! Because sorry, Naminé, but you can't pull it off like Eeyore can."

She laughed. I'm glad someone found my jokes funny. "Okay, okay, I'll stop now…"

"Oh. I almost forgot. You're not really giving up on Roxas, are you?"

She shook her head, her gaze slowly falling upon me. "I somewhat want to, but I can't. The stupid boy's become so ingrained in my life that I wouldn't be able to live without him."

_Awwww!_ "How cute! You're so sappy!"

"Ugh, it's time to invest in a new confidante." We shared a laugh after I smashed a pillow against her face. I always got the last hit in. "So Kairi, I can't thank you enough—"

"We've had to have had this conversation a thousand times before. You don't have to thank me."

"Would you prefer that I skip to the end then?"

There was more? "What did you have in mind? I figured this would be the end of our little conversation."

"Not quite. You still haven't spoken."

Okay, now I was confused. "Spoken about what?"

"Don't be silly, Kairi. How are things on your end? It's okay, you can tell me. In fact, I know you will."

What was she talking about? My end…?

Oh. _Oh._

"Naminé, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Need I repeat myself?" She sat up and crossed her legs, her head resting on her hand.

"I have no idea what you mean by 'my end,' Naminé." I refused to make eye contact with her. I still had a chance.

"Talk."

Okay. She wasn't giving up. I thought by now she would have given in. Note this moment, it was one of the few times Kairi would ever be wrong.

Kidding.

"Do I have to? If I play dumb a little longer, will you let up?"

"No."

I grumpily sat in silence for a few seconds, hoping she would magically break under it. She continued to wait, so I started, "It's getting bad, and it's happening so fast too."

She looked up at me in surprise, probably because I actually decided to indulge. "What happened?"

"Well, nothing really." Yeah, that's kinda-sorta-_maybe_ a blatant lie. "I can't lie anymore and say that there's no attraction," understatement, "but I'm… scared." I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. The last one was as truthful as I could get.

"Kairi, this would be a lot easier if you told me the whole truth."

"Naminé, that was—" Obviously skeptical yet still discrete, Naminé merely looked on calmly. "Okay. Fine. The truth? I thought I was going _melt_ about thirty seconds before you guys rang the doorbell. It's actually kind of disgusting that he's anything and everything I look for in a guy. Which includes his looks. Sure, I always thought he looked cute," Naminé tilted her head, her lips curving into a knowing smile, "Ugh! Naminé! Fine, I think he's hot. Yes, I said it."

"Really?"

"What do you want me to say?!" I said exasperatedly. "If it'll make you stop with that _look_ of yours, then yes, I would prefer that he never wore a shirt."

Apparently Naminé found something funny about that statement. She was bent over laughing. "That… wasn't my question, but thank you for that piece of information!"

"Naminé, will you quit laughing already?" I love this girl to death, but please, someone shoot her now. Or hang her upside down.

"I'm t-trying, okay?" She looked up at me through her almost-teary eyes. "Aww, you're blushing! So cute!"

"Confidante my ass. I'm leaving." Just what I needed, someone to laugh at me as I admit that there's a boy in this world that I'm powerless to resist.

"No! Kairi, stay!" She grabbed my arm weakly. Probably because she was _still laughing._ "I'll s-stop, I'll stop. Just give me a minute…" she began to breathe slower, gulping in large amounts of air.

"You look quite ridiculous right now."

"Thanks." She blew the comment off with such nonchalance it was a bit annoying. She definitely picked that up from Roxas. "So, we left on you being attracted to Sora… and that you'd prefer that—"

"_Okay,_ Naminé!"

"—walks around shirtless!" she kept on giggling. After about five seconds of her being unable to stop, I leapt across the bed and began strangling her.

No, just kidding. But I wanted to. Oh so _bad._

"Why do I even bother?"

"Oh, I love you Kairi. Really, I do. It's just… this is the first time I've seen you like this!"

I crossed my arms and fell back onto the bed. "Like what?"

"Head over heels for a guy." Well, I knew that she would say that. I was just hoping that wasn't going to be the case. I really didn't want this to happen.

"So what now, am I infected or something?"

"You say that as if it's a bad thing!" Well you say it as if it were a good thing. I for one like to be and remain in control. "It's wonderful, Kairi. Who knew two of my friends would be the perfect match for each other?"

"You can stop talking now." And she actually did. She just sat there, smiling at me. Probably making fun of me in her head. "I know that look of yours. You have something to say, but you think I won't like it."

"You know me well." She giggled again, rubbing her knees in a thoughtful manner. "I… I'm actually jealous of you, Kairi. Of course, not to the point where it's getting at our friendship, but… I really wish I had what you have right now."

"And that would be?"

"A relationship that actually has a chance of getting somewhere."

Oh great, not this again. Not self-pity mode. "Naminé, please, I thought we went over this…"

"Just listen to me, Kairi." She held her hands up, asking for permission to continue. "Think about it. You've known Sora for such a small amount of time, and yet you feel the way you do already."

"But I'm not in love with him, Naminé. You're still on a completely different level with Roxas."

"But at least something is happening, right?" she was still smiling, and for once, I couldn't tell whether or not it was a happy smile or a sad one. "You've changed a lot, Kairi. You've changed so much in such a short amount of time that it's actually admirable."

"Naminé, I haven't changed. I'm still me."

"Yes, you are, but you're different. He's changed you." She paused, waiting for the confused expression to spread across my face. I didn't have to tell her that she needed to continue. "Well for one, you're glowing these days. Roxas noticed it too: you were practically radiating with happiness when you answered the door! And it was so obvious— to us, at least— that your mood was all in thanks to Sora. Second, you're just as infectious as he is with that smile. You normally try to understand people's moods, not try to eliminate their sad ones."

"So you're saying that Sora's rubbed off on me or something?"

"I'm saying that you've become so much happier, and you even look _healthier_, with Sora around. So yes, I guess you could say that he's rubbing off on you."

"Great." I was about to complain about the whole thing, but someone knocked at the door.

"Naminé? Kairi?" Roxas called from outside. He opened the door and peeked inside. "What are you two doing here? And are you insane?" He was referring to me, "Do you know how long macaroni takes to cook? Moreover, do you know what time it is? I'd prefer to eat my dinner later, not an hour early."

He had quite a condescending look on his face. The nerve of this guy! "Excuse me for cooking you dinner."

"Well, it's actually Sora that's— okay." Naminé quit speaking after I shot her a glare. Good girl.

"I know you want to leave a little time to make a completely new dinner in case you fail, but— ow! Stop! Okay, I'm sorry!" My hand was stinging, but that felt good. Roxas rubbed his face. And arm. I probably didn't hit hard enough.

Well, at least Naminé found it funny. All giggling aside, she asked our newly arrived friend, "Is there a reason you came up here? We were talking."

"I assumed as much."

"You weren't listening?" Like he was going to tell the truth if he was.

"I swear, I just came up to tell you that Sora misses Kairi." He dodged my next slap, running into the room and diving onto the bed. He nearly tackled Naminé in the process, but he was now safely hiding behind her. "Why is she so violent? Make her stop!"

Naminé took Roxas's hands in her own, intertwining her fingers with his. If she weren't holding hands with the Devil, then it probably would've looked a lot cuter to me. "You keep antagonizing her. It's only natural."

"Yeah, but when she hits people it actually hurts!"

"Oh, enough already." I appreciated the backhanded compliment, but please. "Where are the kids? And where's Sora?" I turned around and –

"Right here." The voice was so close I jumped, almost falling in shock. Thanks to all the luck in the world, it just so turned out the perpetrator was the one to catch me. "Here I am once again, catching you when you fall." His hand steadily held my back, while the other was gripping my elbow securely."What would you do without me?"

"Well apparently I'd die." Fall to my doom, something of that sort.

"Awwwwww!" Namine's cooing quickly destroyed the bubble I had been wrapped up in. "Eep! Did I say that out loud? Sorry!" She covered her mouth with her hands. As if that'd fix anything. She kinda destroyed my happy moment.

"I think I'm gonna go downstairs and wake up the kids. I'd prefer they sleep tonight."

"I'll go with you." His hands dropped to his sides once again. "Besides, I don't want to be left in a room with just those two."

"Hey!" Roxas protested.

We both ignored his cries and made our way out of the room. "Good idea. I've played the third wheel many times before; it's not fun at all."

Roxas yelled something, though I had already tuned that out. I flashed a quick smile and winked at Naminé, who had suddenly wrapped herself up in Roxas's arms.

I didn't know whether or not to be relieved or annoyed that I didn't have to worry about something naughty happening.

Though, once again, a small part of me was hoping I'd be losing the bet.

* * *

"And then—"

"And then she pushed him into the pool!"

"I was going to tell Kairi the story!"

"You were taking too long!"

"Hey, hey, let's all just calm down now!" I tried to ease the tension between the two siblings who decided to tell me about Vaan's race with another girl at camp. Another one of those 'boys are better than girls' races. Vaan was growling (though it sounded more like whining, but such a cute kid does not do something that annoying! Heavens no!) as I rubbed his back in an effort to sooth his anger.

"But _I_ was telling the story!"

"Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!" Penny decided it was an appropriate time to blow a raspberry. Vaan didn't take it well.

"Okay, that's enough guys. Do you want me to call your Dad and tell them that you're being bad?" The two, as angry as they appeared to be at each other, silently came upon a truce. I hung their towels on the door and led them out of the bathroom. "Good. Now Penny, tell Vaan that you're sorry."

"Sorry for telling Kairi your story…" She mumbled. Well, I meant for it to be an apology for blowing a raspberry, but it seemed that Vaan took more offense to the story-stealing.

Vaan finally uncrossed his arms, "It's okay." It didn't sound convincing, but I was sure that it was going to be put in the past very fast.

"Thanks guys." I gave each of their shoulders a light squeeze. "Let's go downstairs, dinner should be ready soon."

I led the kids into the kitchen to find Sora and Naminé cooking together. Roxas was texting someone at the table.

"Is the food done yet?"

"Almost!" Sora answered as he poured the powdered cheese in. "Just gotta add all this stuff and we're good to go. Do you like your cheese milky and creamy?"

"I do!" Roxas chimed. Sora looked to me, and I could only offer him a shrug. Why not? He poured a good amount of milk straight into the pot. Naminé handed all of us plates, and seemingly from nowhere, produced a plate of bread rolls.

"Are you guys ready for some macaroni?" Naminé asked the two kids, who responded with enthusiastic nods and shouts. "Okay! Calm down, it's coming."

"It's right here, and it's super hot too!"

"Ugh, finally." Roxas tucked his cell phone into his pocket. He was the first to grab the serving spoon in the pot. "Kids first, then me. Feel free to fight after what's left."

"How kind of you to put us right behind you." May I kiss your hand now?

"Roxas, that's not nice. Whatever happened to ladies first?" Naminé calmly questioned her companion. He gave her a defeated look before mumbling about etiquette and chivalry.

The dinner conversation was very light, with all of us listening to Vaan's story about his race (Penelo knew very well not to interrupt this time). Roxas and Sora gave him a high five for 'showing that girl that boys are better'.

* * *

Naminé and Roxas left shortly after dinner, leaving me with the kids and Sora again. We all sat in the living room watching a _The Lion King_, all the while sipping on chocolate milkshakes that I made all by myself. Sora and I both thought it was a decent substitute for strawberry ice cream.

Before anyone asks, Sora was indeed sitting next to me. I had no complaints. He'd turn to me at every song and sing it, as off-key as it was, with as much enthusiasm as the kids. What was surprising to me was that he knew all the words. He even looked at me on a few occasions and mouthed the lines he had memorized. He definitely watched this movie too many times.

The movie was interrupted when Miss Lockhart called my cell phone. It was already that time of day again. Sora lowered the volume, getting the kids' attention.

"Hello?" my coach's voice sounded over the speakerphone.

"Mommy!" The kids screamed as they ran towards the phone.

"Hi Vaan, hi Penny! What are you two doing?"

"We're watching _The Lion King_ again!"

"With Sora and Kairi and… and…"

"Chocolate milkshakes!"

Sora looked at me with an amused expression on his face. When Miss Lockhart found an opportunity to speak again, she told the kids to calm down. "Did you guys thank Kairi— it was Kairi who made the milkshakes, right?"

"Yup!" I chirped from behind the kids.

"Well then, did you guys thank her?"

"Yes!" the kids drawled out.

"Just making sure! I'm glad to see that you haven't forgotten your manners while Mommy and Daddy are gone."

"So what did you guys do today?" a masculine voice sounded over the phone. Sora laughed when I jumped at the sound of his voice.

Forgive me for not being able to get over the fact that my coach snagged that hot piece of—

Yeah.

"Daddy!" Ah, the guy was married and had two children. One less person on the list of available hot guys. "We're watching _The Lion King!"_

"Well I know that. How was camp?"

"I raced today!"

"And he won!"

I think their father did something funny because Miss Lockhart broke out laughing. "That's my boy. Who was it?"

"A girl who said that girls are better than boys!"

"Heh. Showed her, didn't y— ow!" There was a small exchange before he resumed, "Did you beat her so bad that she cried?" He asked in a rush. I now remember where I adopted my violent reactions from.

"Vaan, don't listen to your father. He's being immature right now."

"Aren't you two a bit too old to be flirting?" Sora spoke up for the first time in the conversation.

"What's flirting?"

"Let's just say if a girl ever tries it on you she'll go home without any arms…" their mother mumbled into the phone. Cloud was yelling in the background "What?! No, I'm not kidding!"

"Mommy, did you win?" Penny innocently interjected. Thanks for bringing us back to topic.

"Yup! I'm on my way to the finals! It's going by quicker than expected. Can you believe it? Mommy and Daddy are gonna be home in three days!" Oh, that's right. I was halfway through my work week. "Just be good for Kairi for three more days, okay? Then we'll do a real family vacation."

"Where are we going?"

"To drop Sora off at Auntie Aerith's." I looked at Sora who wore a small, indecipherable smile. When he saw me, he merely shrugged. "Kairi? Kairi, you there?"

"Kairi!" the kids brought me back to the present.

"Oh yeah, I'm here!"

"Would you rather have a new skirt, or new shirt? I'm buying you something while I'm here. Lots of cute clothes."

"Miss Lockhart, you don't have to—"

"Fine, I'll get both. Sora, want anything?"

"Nope!"

"Okay. Well, I'm glad to see you're all getting along. Kairi, I won't have to pay you extra for babysitting a third child, will I?"

I laughed at Sora's offended expression. "No, you won't. Sora's been a good boy."

"Good…" She directed the conversation toward her kids, giving me time to think. So she was coming home in three more days, and then Sora was going to go home after. I was a little disappointed to realize just how limited my time with him would be. How long before they go on that vacation? Would I ever see Sora again?

"Something wrong?" His blue eyes suddenly found mine, and I stared into them with awe. Since when did they look so… amazing?

"No, it's nothing. Just thinking."

"About what?"

You. "Just… tomorrow. We're going to the beach with the group."

"Oh. Yeah." The conversation ended there as Miss Lockhart was once again calling for us.

"Well, Cloud and I are going now. You guys be good, all right? I love you Vaan, I love you Penny!"

"Love you too Mommy!" the twins chorused.

"Kairi, Sora, thanks for watching them. We'll talk again tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah. Good bye, Miss Lockhart!"

"Good night everyone!" The kids gave their last good-byes and good nights before they hung up.

"Are you guys ready for bed?"

"Nope!" they answered plainly. I took their empty cups, which were quickly taken off my hands thanks to Sora.

"That's fine. We'll finish the movie, and then you guys can prepare for bed."

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

Just when I thought things were finally going to calm down, a thunderstorm decided to drop by. The flashes and claps of thunder were hard to ignore: for me, at least. The kids seemed unaffected, as they slept like rocks even as the house slightly shook every now and then. I left their bedroom door open just in case they woke up confused.

And I was still awake. For the past hour, I'd been trying to fall asleep. Flinching every time the thunder roared outside didn't help my cause.

"This is ridiculous." I threw the covers off and grabbed a pillow, deciding that I needed to get up for a while. My meandering brought me right in front of the basement door, where I had previously wished Sora a good night.

Without a second thought, I opened the door and made my way down the stairs. Sora was laughing, telling someone that he was signing off. I found him sitting on a couch with a headset on, staring at the large television set displaying a scoreboard.

"Yeah, see you later, Riku. Tell Tidus and Wakka that they _suck_ when they get back!" and on that friendly note, the screen went blue.

"Finished playing already?"

He turned around in surprise, taking the headset off. "Kairi? I thought you went to bed!"

"Couldn't sleep. There's a thunderstorm outside and it's keeping me up."

A grin slowly spread across his face. "Are you afraid of thunder?"

"Afraid? No!" his grin got wider, irritating me even more. "I'm serious. I'm not. I just find it a bit too distracting and I can't sleep."

"So why'd you come down here? It wasn't to avoid the sound of thunder, was it?"

What was with that teasing grin?! I wasn't _afraid!_ "Well, excuse me for coming down here then. I thought maybe talking to a friend would help, but it's clear that you don't want me here."

"Kairi, you know I was kidding!" I ignored him and briskly walked up the stairs. "Kairi!" The door closed, cutting off the volume of his call. Serves him right. Now all I had to do was wait 'til he chased me.

And so I waited. And waited. And waited even more.

After about a minute or two of waiting, I got a little irked. Why wasn't he chasing me? He's done that before. Did I do something wrong this time?

"For the love of… ugh." Three seconds. If he doesn't open the door in three seconds, I'm going to do it myself. Three.

Two.

One.

The door stayed closed. Okay, so he wasn't coming. "Boys are so freaking stupid…" I opened the d—

"Whoa!" Was all I heard before a huge pile of pillows and cushions mauled _my face off._ From the pile, I saw Sora's spiky hair bouncing around. "Kairi? Is that you?"

"What the heck is all this for?!" I angrily tossed aside a pillow, my eyes meeting his cheery ones.

"We," he gathered as many cushions and pillows and blankets as he could in his arms, "Are making a pillow fort."

Oh, of course. A pillow fort. How unusual of me to never see that coming. _Everyone_ makes pillow forts on stormy nights. "Huh? What pillow fort?"

"Oh please. You made one with the kids last night, right?"

"Keyword there being kids. Why do you want to make a fort all of a sudden?"

He looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Kairi, there's a thunderstorm out! Roxas, Naminé, Ven and I used to make these all the time when we were little!"

"How long ago was that? Twelve years?"

"Don't be a party pooper!" Well you just made _me_ go after _you._ What kind of guy does that?! Guys should chase after the girls, not the other way around.

"I'm not being a party pooper; I'm…" exacting revenge. "Being practical."

"Miss Kairi, the practical thing to do at a time like this is make a pillow fort. Could you grab those? I don't think I can carry any more than this."

"No." He wasn't expecting that answer. Well that's what you get for not coming upstairs.

Nevertheless, he wore his smile and asked in the most childish and cheesiest voice ever, "Pleeeease?"

"Where do you plan on making this pillow fort anyway?" I made sure to sound as agitated as possible, but every bit of the genuine anger (if there was any to start) had melted away.

"I was thinking your room?"

Hmm. Out of context, that sounded like a wonderful idea.

"And why would I let you into my room?"

"Because deep down inside if you, you really want to make this pillow fort with me." Among other things, yes. So he knew. I gave up my resistance and picked up the rest of the pillows.

"You owe me an apology."

"For what?"

"…Nothing. Just go upstairs."

* * *

We stood at the doorway of my temporary room and admired our wonderful fort.

It.

Was.

Glorious.

I had never seen such a finer fort in my lifetime. I guess the creation before us was the result of two, well-trained fort builders. Simply put it was a masterpiece.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He turned to me with that irresistible smile of his.

"If you're thinking that we're amazing and the best pillow fort builders ever, then yes." He held out his hand for a high five, which I graciously returned.

We are so cool.

"You know, I kind of want to take a picture of this. That, or give me a little longer so I can burn this image into my mind."

"Take your time." I wanted to give him a huge hug for helping me make this work of art, but then it'd be awkward. So I chose instead to give him a nice pat on the shoulder. "I'll be in the fort. First one in gets to name it!" I crawled into the soft makeshift building as quickly as I could.

"Hey!" he protested. I was already lying down by the time he began crawling inside. "That wasn't fair!"

"Such is the story of life, Sora." He settled beside me, staring up at the thin sheet that simulated a roof. "I declare this fort to remain nameless."

"What?! You should've let me name it then!"

"Oh, so you have an idea?"

"Yeah! Let's name it Fort… Fart."

"That's disgusting." He laughed, so I threw my hand over his mouth.

"Are you trying to wake the kids? It's late, in case you haven't noticed."

He pulled my hand away and chuckled. "My bad. It totally slipped my mind."

"Yeah, don't got much room there, do you?" I laughed at my own joke, jerking when I felt him poke me in the side. "No! Not this again!"

"Okay. I'll stop when you hit the lights."

"What? I was here first! I've been inside lon— ack! Okay!" Stupid tickling. Against my preferences, I crawled out of the fort and turned the light off, though I made sure to leave one lamp on the other side of the room on. We didn't need any accidental contact in the dark. I made my way inside, plopping down in my previous spot. We stared at the sheet that hung above, filtering the lamplight and casting a low, comfortable ambience inside. The rain's constant tapping on the window would've made the whole room feel calmer had it not been for the flashes and crashes of lightning and thunder.

"So you're really not afraid of thunder and lightning, huh?" The question came casually and sounded more like a confirmation to oneself.

"Yeah. I'm not really afraid of anything… well, if we're talking paralyzed by fear. Lots of things scare me, but not to the point where I simply can't stand it."

"Not even bugs? Or rodents?"

I forgot about those. "Well, now that you mention it, I can't stand bugs. I think I'd cry if I were surrounded by cockroaches." A chill ran up my spine at the thought. "Ugh. I don't even wanna think about it!"

"Yeah, bugs are pretty disgusting." He grinned, an action I would've missed had I not been so attuned to it. Scary, isn't it? I could barely see in front of me yet I could make out his smile perfectly clear.

"What about you? Does anything just paralyze you with fear?"

He was silent in his thinking for a while. Then, in a low voice, he told me, "I would have to say needles. Like the ones that doctors give you. I have no problem whatsoever with sewing needles, but getting shots are…" he rubbed his arms, making me giggle, "Ew, it's not funny. Getting shots is scary!"

"Shots aren't funny, I know… but you are. At least your reactions."

"Forgive me for failing to cope with the idea of letting some stab me."

"Oh please, it's not stabbing!"

"That's your opinion. What I know is _fact._"

I giggled yet again, this time ruffling his spiky hair. "Aww, little Sora's afraid of the doctor's office!"

He laughed, swatting my hand away. "Yeah yeah, rub it in, why don't you…"

A silence fell upon us yet again, the thunder occasionally reverberating throughout the house. "Sora, what would you say is unusual about you?"

He turned his charming face in my direction. If it wouldn't be weird, I would've reached out to caress it. "What do you mean?"

"Just tell me something about you. Maybe I'll fall asleep."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" he asked in mock-offense.

"Fine. I'll start. Follow my example. Let's see… wait, nevermind. I'll just ask you a question. Have you ever seen snow before?"

"Uh, yeah? Who hasn't?"

"Well, if you would calmly look to your left, you'd see a girl who has never seen snow before." His eyes widened at my smile.

"You're kidding!"

"Well, I probably _have_ seen snow before, because I did live in Radiant Garden for the first year of my life. But I don't think it counts when I don't remember."

"Wow. Never?"

"Like I said, if I did, it doesn't count. Now, your turn."

"Okay… How about this one. What did you want to be when you were little?"

"Haha." Memories of kindergarten came flooding back to me. "I wanted to be a professional tennis player. Who knew that'd actually become a potential career choice."

"Wow. Did you play tennis back then?"

"I didn't start playing for real until I was seven. Before that, it was kind of for fun. Then Miss Lockhart, who was so young at the time… how old was she? Twenty? Around that… she offered to give me lessons."

"How'd that come about?"

"She spoke with my mom, who she met at the hospital."

He found it just as peculiar as I did and chuckled. "Funny how things turn out…" he resumed staring at the sheet above us.

"What about you? Did you want to become an astronaut like every other kid? Perhaps a fireman?"

"No, I… I actually wanted to be a lion." He looked at me seriously, and we broke out into loud laughter. A roar of thunder reminded us to quiet down when it buried our voices.

"Wow. What did everyone tell you?"

"That it would never happen. I remember crying about it when the teacher told me to pick something else! Ha ha!"

"Aww, you poor thing!" I propped myself up on an elbow and looked at him. He looked awfully delectable when he was just lying there with that smile on his face. "So when did you ditch that dream?"

His smile grew even wider. "Who said I did?" he asked with a laugh. We shared the moment in quiet laughter.

"Kairi, if there's anything, what would you say is your most shallow preference? In terms of dating guys, I mean."

"I thought about this before!" Ignoring the fact that this could possibly give me away, grabbed the pillow I had just been lying on and hugged it. "I don't think I could get along with a guy who wasn't funny. I don't know. A guy's sense of humor is so important to me it's a bit… shallow. I think."

"Kairi, I don't think I've ever met a girl who dated a guy that couldn't make her laugh."

"Well, you asked, I answered. I guess that means I'm pretty open, doesn't it?"

"Keep telling yourself that." That earned him a nice poke in the side. He almost knocked a wall down in his flailing.

"So, Mr. Perfect, do you have any shallow preferences?"

"I think… well, I don't think I could ever date a blonde. Weird, huh? Blond is usually the color associated with beauty, but… yeah. I don't think I could."

Well, I'm glad I'm not blond then. "That is incredibly shallow, Sora."

"I know. But what can I do about it now?" He folded his hands behind his head, causing the sleeves of his shirt to hike up. My eyes instantly locked onto his biceps. "Next question then. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?"

"Nope. Why, are you about to tell me you do?"

"Nope! I don't: I was just asking." He yawned, turning away slightly. "You ask me a question now."

"Okay. Did you ever collect anything when you were little?"

"Trading cards. Who didn't?" I nodded. Everyone put hundreds of dollars into the stuff. "What about you?"

"Well, this is gonna sound really weird…"

"Go on." He urged, tucking a hand underneath one of his pillows.

"I used to… well I guess I still do… collect the little wipes that restaurants give you after you're done eating." I nervously giggled at the embarrassing habit.

To my surprise, he shot up from his spot. "Whoa! You do that too?!" I didn't expect that either. "I _always_ stash the extra ones! And sometimes I just take it all so no one can use it."

It was a weird thing to have in common, but I found it quite cute of him. "You can't be serious. Who in the world does that?"

He pointed to himself with his thumb, "You and I for one! Wow, that totally slipped my mind! But I do collect those. I got a whole container of 'em at home from different restaurants!"

"Ugh! I _have_ to show you my collection now! I bet I have way more than you!" I challenged.

"Are you kidding me? I've been collecting those since forever!" He plopped down on his pillows again and covered his eyes. "I never thought I'd find so much in common with you."

The statement had me stunned, and suddenly my tongue felt like mush in my mouth. "Uh…"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't just insult you did I? You probably thought I was already an idiot, and me saying that—"

"N-no!" The temperature in the fort seemed to spike. "It's— it's nice to have such strange things in common with a friend. The things you never expect anyone to accept gracefully are the ones that you're most excited for when you find a person who does the same thing."

He looked into my eyes with that hypnotic cerulean gaze. I felt the sudden urge to crawl into his arms, cuddle against him, and fall into s peaceful sleep. "Yeah… I guess you're right. Those are the things that bring people together…" he folded his hands behind his head and stared upward. "For us, it's those little wipes given away at restaurants!"

I mirrored his actions, falling into my place just inches beside him. "Yeah," I giggled, "just for us."

* * *

I can't remember the point when reality became a dream. One moment we were talking about ourselves, and the next we were sleeping. My slip into slumber was the smoothest transition ever. In one part of my mind, I fell asleep inside that fort we built; in the other, Sora held me in his arms at some point in the night before laying me in bed. Nevertheless, I hoped that in the morning I'd see Sora in my room to confirm that the night was, in some strange way or another, a reality.

* * *

RE: This chapter is dedicated to everyone who took the time to encourage me, put me back on track, and urge me to update: **Electron Beam, Dragonsdeathangel, Princess of blah blah blah, True-Light-San, Tayt63, ShadowSpooky, Tinaalovesmints, Fanfiction Fanatiction, SilverClock, Lebrezie, dearlybelovedangel, Black-Dax, kingdommad, Aldergrace, EloquentDisaster, kikofreako, sillysally, Dynasty021, SecretAgent99, sashu, Blood Seraph, Quietly Frag1le, mookie muffin, mattjesse, xXlil'eveXx, young gun kid, KHGamegirl, Rebel-chan, **and **DtR**. You guys rock. Thanks for sticking around for me and letting me know that a small group of people actually enjoy my writing :-P

To those who have been adding both me and M&M to their alerts and/or favorites list: I apologize for not thanking you last chapter! Double thanks for your support. Thank you.

Take care everyone, I'll see you around!


	10. The Shocking Catalyst

Chapter 10: The Shocking Catalyst

I fell asleep last night with such a smooth transition; my awakening came just as easily.

And the smell: how wonderful it was! The first breath of air this morning was filled with _his_ scent. I wanted to bury my face in the pillow and just stay there. The smell of him was taking over my mind! I had to tear myself away, so in one quick action, I reclaimed control and turned over, breaking off from the addicting sensory overload.

A soft, warming light was dripping through closed blinds when I opened my eyes this morning. I could already tell it was going to be a wonderful day. I mean, everything about it seemed as if it was ripped from the pages of a light, happy children's book: the birds were chirping outside; the house was quiet and peaceful; the bed I was lying in was soft and cool.

Wait. What about the…?

An anxious whisper escaped from my mouth. "Sora!" Shooting up from the bed, I tossed the covers aside and looked to the floor.

A sigh of relief released itself from my system at the sight. There was Sora, tangled in a huge mess of pillows and sheets with a funny-looking smile on his sleeping face. A smile of my own came into existence as I kept staring at his sleeping form. Not because his shirt was riding up and I could see part of his lightly toned abs (though that was a bonus), but because he was still there.

It was proof that our conversation that lasted late into the night was real. Also, at some point in the night, he carried me and put me in bed.

The thought of it sent chills up and down my spine, but I couldn't help but giggle at the feeling. He was pretty much the guy made of everything I found ideal.

Ugh, just listen to me. Going off about some _boy_. I may be a hopeless romantic, but I don't fawn over guys.

"C'mon Kairi. You've got a job to do!" I slid to the end of my bed as quietly as possible, breaking into a brisk pace as soon as my feet hit the ground. I entered the twins' room and found them sleeping peacefully, a small amount of drool dribbling from Vaan's mouth. It was picture perfect. Just like everything this morning, I guess.

"Vaan! Penny! Wake up!" I called out in a restrained voice. Penny slowly began to stir, but Vaan wasn't even fazed. So I worked on Penny. "Good morning, Penny! Ready for camp?"

"Uh-huh…" she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes. Without another word, she slowly crawled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. Good girl.

"And now for this one…" I grabbed a tissue and approached Vaan's sleeping form. "Vaan! It's time to get up! You're burning daylight!" I hastily wiped his mouth, pulling his arms above his head. I saw a smirk form on his face. So he was awake. "If you don't get up, I'll be forced to tickle you!" He pretended not to hear me, his head tilting off to the side. "Okay then… one… two… three!" I followed through on my warning, my fingers darting all over his sides. The room was suddenly filled with a shrieking, childish laughter.

"O-okay! I-I'm up!" he laughed cutely. So I have one word to describe these kids. I'm pretty sure you are familiar with it too: _adorable._

"Good morning to you too, Vaan!" I got up from the bed, pulling him up with me. "Now go and get ready. Your sister is already in the bathroom."

"Okay!" he ran as fast as his legs could take him, giggling like a maniac. He took mornings so much better than his sister. To think that _he_ was the one that gave me so much trouble on the first morning.

After passing the bathroom to make sure they were actually getting ready, I went to prepare myself. I sent a quick text message to Roxas too: nothing to stop us from playing tennis this morning.

Plus, something _might've_ happened. I wasn't counting on it, but hey. I can dream.

What can I say? I was feeling confident. No need to remind you, but I'll do so anyway: my dreams have been coming true for the past four days.

* * *

Despite the massive amounts of rain last night, the weather was actually… not disgusting. I was expecting to walk outside and find a humid mess, but a light and constant breeze seemed to negate such a weather damper.

"Are you both ready?" I asked the kids as I loaded all of our gear into the car.

"Yup!" Vaan's voice rang immediately after the question. Penny yawned and slowly nodded.

"Great! Let's get going then!"

Vaan and I sang along to a huge lineup of Disney songs, eventually getting a laugh out of Penny. By the time we got down the mountain, she was almost as awake as Vaan. The drive was yet another testament to the giddiness of the morning. And, amazingly enough, the side of the island we were on wasn't wet at all. Weather on the islands was such an interesting phenomenon.

After arriving at the recreational center, I bought the kids a light breakfast: sugary cereal with some sliced fruit on the side. They wouldn't be swimming for at least half an hour anyway. Plus, they seemed to enjoy the idea of eating inside the cafeteria. Life was just more exciting when you were younger.

With the meals finished, I bade the kids farewell and walked back to the car, calling Roxas on the way. He picked up on the last possible ring.

"Hello?" the groggy voice croaked on the other end.

"Roxas? It's Kairi." I started the car, eying my hair in the rearview mirror. Ah, perfect. "Did you get my text?"

"What text?" Of course not. I should've assumed as much with the way he answered his phone. "Why are you calling me so early? Don't you have a life?"

"Roxas, I thought we were gonna play tennis this morning. Do you not want to?"

There was the sound of shuffling before he answered, "Oh. Tennis. Yeah, I'll play."

I decided to remain in the parking lot until I finished the phone conversation. I wasn't going to endanger my life to find a sleeping Roxas. "Great. Well, the courts in Miss Lockhart's area are wet. So we'll be playing at your neighborhood courts. Does that work?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Just give me ten minutes to get ready…" I could hear him yawn on the other end.

"Perfect. I'll pick you up at your house and save you a walk."

"No, I'm at Naminé's house. Pick me up there." Oh. So you slept over again. No wonder why you aren't ready. I'll give you all the time you need, buddy.

"All righty then. I guess I'll just follow the speed limit then. See ya soon!"

"Yeah, bye." The click on the other end was my first green light. Guess I was going to pay the Naminé house a visit.

* * *

My drive to their neighborhood was quite relaxing. Since the weather was so perfect, I decided that it was much better to roll the windows down, blast the music, and sing my heart out. The only time my voice would die was the occasional stoplight. Nobody had to hear me sing wrong notes.

Ironically, the tennis game wasn't the subject of my thoughts. Instead, I saw this smiling face, striking blue eyes, and light brown hair spiking in every direction with a gravity-defying manner. Then I would hear the laughing: a masculine, yet somewhat boyish and filled with youth, chuckle ringing through my head.

Everything I liked about Sora seemed to make a permanent home in my mind. My imagination so easily became a reality: I could hear that laughter, that comforting voice as if he was in the seat beside mine; I could see him across from me and watch the way his hair danced in the wind, his captivating eyes kept behind the cutest squint of happiness; I could pick up the scent of that unique aroma, the Sora-smell that paralyzed me with bliss. And I could feel the warmth of that first and only hug: the ephemeral experience that I would remember for a lifetime.

Somehow or another I arrived at the destination. A wistful sigh escaped my mouth as I turned the engine off and my mind drifted yet again. A glaring question seemed to pop up in my mind: what would Sora _taste_ like?

"Don't go there don't go there _don't go there!"_ I tried to slam some sense into my head, and I avoided the thought for the most part. Though my mind did find it fit to play out a scene where Sora and… kissed.

And far, far away into the corner of my mind shall it go.

I hastily got out of the car and ran to the front door, allowing no idle time for my mind to get working on its perverted endeavors it so persistently tried to follow.

No, I had no control over it. _I'm_ not the pervert. My mind has just been tainted, is all.

"C'mon already!" I rang the doorbell again, even knocking to get the message that someone was at the door across the house. No one answered. So what do you do when you want in?

No silly. You don't call and check if anyone's home. You break in!

So guess where I found the spare key? Under the doormat. Seriously, do people really think that's still a good place?

I decided to do my friend a favor and teach her a lesson. Using the spare key, I entered the house with the turn of my wrist. The room I was looking for (where I would undoubtedly find Roxas, Naminé, or both) was in the back of the house.

Maybe any normal person would be reluctant to open the door. But this was Roxas and Naminé, two people you could depend on to not be doing anything naughty when you walked in on them.

Well, save for that one time with the cookie dough…

I slowly opened the door to find the austere yet beautiful room of Naminé. The white room was a statement of the girl's innocence, purity, and angelic personality. Adorning the walls were both drawings and paintings, the artwork of the owner. A common theme ran through every piece: the subject of friendship. I could pick out the old paintings, the new drawings, and the most important ones.

You know, the kind she would hastily grab in the event of a fire. A montage of all her friends (That would be the whole group, all hand drawn, mind you) would be among that group.

The two sleeping forms in bed didn't even stir when I entered the room. I guess you could say it was a good thing. The breathtaking image seemed to be a perfect moment captured by a professional studio photographer, or the most serene and innocent scene pulled out of a romantic movie.

There they were, lying sweetly in a state of dream-like tranquility. The owner of the room was wrapped in the arms of her visitor, her back comfortably resting against his broader chest. His hands lay over her waist, innocently resting upon her the silk, white sundress that covered her flat stomach. Their legs were tangled under the sheets, which seemed more like a cloud that filtered the blistering heat of sunlight and left nothing but a warming kiss.

I didn't want to be the one to end their moment, but I also wanted to play tennis. Plus… practice was good for both Roxas and I if we planned on holding our positions as the best high school tennis players on Destiny Islands.

I slowly approached the bed, calling out each of their names. Naminé moved, causing Roxas to tighten his hold on her. Ugh, at this rate…

"Roxas!" I called in a harsh whisper. "Naminé! Wake up!" The latter cracked open her eyes before yawning. Well at least one of them heard me.

"Kairi? How'd you get in here?"

"Front door. Spare key under the mat. Not a good idea, in my humble opinion." She smiled, placing her hand over Roxas's much larger one that was resting on her stomach.

"Roxas? Kairi's here. Get up now…"

"No, five more minutes Nam…" his voice trailed off with the dying energy.

"What time is it?" She asked before burying her face in her pillow. Her muffled voice was loud enough for me to hear, "I'm so comfortable right now."

"It is… 8:30 in the morning!" I reported loudly. Roxas groaned.

"Can't I sleep in? I was looking forward to this all school year," What, sleeping with Naminé? "And just when summer comes around, you have to ruin it…"

"Oh please. While you're sleeping in, the other guys are out there getting better!"

"But we practice every day for four weeks before next school year, _and_ we practice every day for at least two hours _during_ the school year!" Roxas whined. He wasn't quite awake yet; else he would've sounded more annoying and come up with more excuses.

"Yeah, so why don't we get a head start on those four weeks of summer practice?" He groaned and buried his face in Namine's blond locks, who was lying sweetly with a faint smile on her face. "We're not going to get any better by sleeping in! What happened to the Roxas of the school year? He was such an overachiever!"

"That was school-Roxas…" he mumbled. "Summer-Roxas likes sleeping." No, I'm pretty sure you're not lying there because you like sleep.

Ugh. I'm trying to help him, and he's not cooperating! "Naminé, will you..." What do I say, get your boy-toy out of bed? No, too mean. "Help me out? He's not listening to me."

She inhaled deeply, her fingers intertwining with his (it was so disgustingly couple-y that I actually forgot they weren't dating, making me a bit angrier at Roxas). "Roxas? Kairi wants to play." Oh gee, thanks for making me sound like an annoying kid on Christmas morning who wanted to open the presents twenty minutes ago. "You have to get up."

"No, I like it here…" he tightened his embrace, pulling her body closer. She giggled sweetly at the gesture.

"Roxas, that tickles!"

"Where?" his mouth curved into a smile behind her ear. The fingers that were once at her stomach moved to her sides and twitched, causing her to whole body to jerk. "Here?"

"Roxas!"

Okay, does anyone find this a little awkward? No? Well, what about the fact that I was standing right there and I had to report it? Yeah, there we go.

"Guys," I coughed. They didn't stop flirting. Or touching each other. Or laughing and smiling. "Should I leave?"

"No, R-Roxas is just being— stop!" another laugh escaped her mouth. "He's being a jerk!"

"How is this—" Naminé fruitlessly tried to wriggle herself out of his bear hug, "—being a jerk? Should I not hug you anymore?"

"No, but tick—" she turned her body so she could face him, her small hands squeezing his wrists, "tickling when I said stop is!"

"Fine, fine, I'll stop…"

"No, it's too late now." I seized one of Naminé's arms and dragged her out of bed. She apparently found it funny, giggling all the while. "I see you're wearing your new night dress." And wow did it look great on her. Leave it to her to turn a sexy outfit into something that's closer to adorable.

"Yes, and it's quite comfortable too." She brushed herself off and stretched. I looked at Roxas, who seemed to be looking at her with fascination and awe. And then he noticed I was watching him, so he turned away; not without a redder face, of course.

"Great. You doing anything today? If not, you can come and watch us."

"Sorry, I promised Olette I'd be over at 9:30 to help her prepare some food. Hayner and Pence are kind of useless in that department, so…"

"Yeah. Can't count on a guy to—"

"Do a woman's job?" Roxas interrupted, a cocky smile on his face. It disappeared quickly with the combined disgust of me and Naminé. "Sorry."

Yeah. Not something you should say to two girls.

"I'm gonna get ready. Help yourself to the food in the fridge." And with that, she walked out of the room. Roxas dropped his head on a pillow and let out a long sigh.

"Aww, did I ruin your perfect morning?" I teased.

"As a matter of fact, you did."

"Well you can still sleep. I heard from your very mouth that summer-Roxas likes sleep." I earned myself an agitated look. "Oh, don't give me that. You gonna get up now?"

"Like there's anything better to do…" he threw the covers aside and stood up, mimicking the same routine as Naminé. He dragged his feet across the floor, an act more lazy than sleepy.

Today, Roxas. Please. Or you could just take your time. "Hey, maybe if you get to the bathroom fast enough, you might catch Naminé before she gets in the shower!"

"Shut up."

* * *

Roxas and I arrived at the court thirty minutes later. Naminé left her house the same time as we did, deciding that the earlier she arrived at Olette's, the better. Roxas was, I admit, cute with his concerns of Naminé driving alone, but she convinced him that she would be fine. It was only a ten minute drive anyway.

We sat on the courtside bench, quite happy that we had the whole court to ourselves. It wasn't unusual to see a young group of kids having a tennis lesson, so we were thankful for the privacy.

"I feel like it's been forever since we played tennis." Roxas said as he rotated his shoulders. "Even though it's only been one day and all, it still feels weird."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." I spun my racket in my hand, getting a feel for the familiar extension of my arm. "Which side do you want?"

"The side I'm on right now. Best two out of three?"

"If you mean sets, then yeah." I grabbed a few tennis balls and walked to my side of the court, Roxas doing the same. I dropped a ball, hitting it across as it bounced back up. Warm-up officially began. "So you excited for the beach today?"

"I guess. Last time I was there was Spring Break, and that was only because—"

"Miss Lockhart's conditioning." I finished. He smirked as he returned a ball. "Let's never do that again."

"Definitely. That was complete hell." He hit a stray backhand, cursing under his breath. "So, anything going on with Sora?"

I returned with a backhand of my own, only mine went perfectly over the net. "Don't know. Why don't you ask him?"

"Oh, don't play that card with me!" he lobbed the ball high into the air, "You know very well what I'm talking about."

"Well then I guess that depends. And from the looks of it, I'm not obligated to tell you anything."

"Ugh, fine. Don't remind me. I remember."

"Do you plan on winning this bet? I kind of want to lose, you know."

"Kind of? Do you have something to hide about Sora and yourself, perhaps?"

"No, I just don't like losing." That was a partial truth. I really didn't like losing, but I also had something to hide (from Roxas, at least) about Sora. You can never trust a boy to keep your feelings a secret.

"Sure…" we played in silence for a few minutes until one of us made a mistake. That just so happened to be me. "Let it go; we'll warm up with serving now."

"Roxas…" I threw up a ball and made a perfect hit. He still managed to return it to the net without a problem. "Why haven't you asked Naminé out yet?"

"I thought we went over this already." He didn't say anything after that.

"What if I told you that she's getting tired of waiting? Or that she was considering someone else?"

"She wouldn't. And if she does like someone, she would tell me."

"Well she likes you, but she didn't tell you because she thinks guys should do the confessing."

"I know."

"Plan on doing something anytime soon?"

"Well, I'm gonna have to do it right away if I want to win this bet, right?"

I almost missed the return when he said that. "Are you implying that you're going to…?"

He smiled, forcefully bouncing the tennis ball and setting himself up. "I might."

* * *

The matches ended in my overall victory: two matches out of three played. Maybe it was because I was more committed today. Though, to feed my ego, I credited my victory to my higher skill level.

"Roxas, I think you're losing your touch." I teased, wiping the sweat from my forehead.

You know, now that I think about it, Roxas has seen me in the most unattractive states ever. All hot and disgusting and sweaty. How embarrassing…

"Or maybe you're just getting better." He retorted with a smile. Was that a compliment? None of the 'you just got lucky this time around' talk? What's going on?

"Are you trying to get on my good side or something?" I was onto him. He wanted a favor. I knew it. He definitely wanted a favor.

"No, can't I just compliment you every now and then? That's not too unusual."

"Look at me in the eye right now." He followed my order. Yup. He was lying. "Okay, you better not have thrown the match for this. What do you want?"

"Kairi, I told—"

"I'm gonna hit you with this racket if you don't tell me what you want right now." He didn't need to ask if I was serious.

He sighed in defeat, looking at the ground. "I was wondering if you could give me a ride to Olette's. I'd rather that Naminé and I drive together, so…"

"You could've asked _without_ throwing the match." I told him. That was so irritating, when he let me win. Like he was mocking me or something.

"I really didn't lie to you about throwing the match!" He made eye contact. Okay. So he wasn't lying about that bit. "Really. You beat me fair and square today."

"Okay." I packed up my racket and stored the tennis balls in their rightful canisters. "I take I'll have to take you home and chill at your house for a little bit so you can shower?" The driving to his house bit wasn't much trouble. It was waiting. What was I supposed to do while I waited?

He half-grinned, half-winced. "Please? If it's not too much trouble?"

"Yeah yeah… after all, the more time you and Naminé spend together, the better."

"Thanks Kairi. I owe you one." He flashed a smile, slinging his bag over his shoulder. I handed him mine after pulling out my keys.

"Right. Let's hurry up. I'll have to make some plan adjustments." We got in the car and made the minute-long drive to his house. Roxas's house was very similar to Naminé's; in fact, it was the same exact house in terms of format.

"I won't take long, I promise!" he hastily told me before dashing inside. On the other hand, I took my sweet time, and when I finally went inside, I could already hear the shower running.

"I could use one of those myself…" I mumbled before dropping myself on the couch.

Oh! The plans for today. Better call Sora.

I listened to the dial tone for a while before Sora's voice chirped on the other end. "Kairi!"

Good morning to you too. "Hehe, hey Sora." I nervously laughed. Why was this so… embarrassing?

"What's up? You gonna come back soon? Riku said he'd come over and take us to the beach party."

Oh. That would have been very convenient. "Yeah, that's what I want to talk about. There's a change of plans." You know, the ones that we were going to run on a whim, thirty minutes before the party.

"Oh. Are you… not going anymore or something?" His voice seemed to lose a trace of his usual happiness.

"No, no, I'm still going. But I won't be going with you and Riku."

"Oh, that's a relief. I really thought you were going to say that you weren't coming."

"Oh, don't act like it'd be that bad."

"Fine, fine. So how come you aren't coming with us?" I heard the beeping of the microwave in the background. Hot chocolate.

"Well, I'm at Roxas's house right now. I'm doing him a favor relating to Naminé. I figured I'd take one for the team."

His laughter was music to my ears. "Aww, you're too kind. So are you going with them?"

"Probably not. I think after dropping Roxas off at Olette's, I'll go home, shower, and then head to the beach."

"Which one's Olette again? Was that the super-hyper girl?"

"You're probably thinking Selphie. Olette is usually with Hayner and Pence."

"Oooh. The other brunette."

"Yup. So I'll meet you guys at the beach. Just let Riku know. You guys can spend quality time together!"

"Sure. Quality time. Gotcha. Anything else?"

"Don't forget to wear a white t-shirt and jeans. And bring your bathing suit. I highly doubt we'll be taking pictures the whole time."

"Right… you know, I don't really know why I'm going to be in the pictures. I met everyone like… two days ago. If you or Riku or Roxas and Naminé weren't going to be there, I'd feel pretty awkward."

"Sora, you'll know four of the fourteen or so people there. How will that be awkward?"

"Well, you better make yourselves available. You guys being you and Riku. I don't wanna play the third wheel game."

"Oh, quit joking already. You should be hoping for something to happen today."

"I know, I know. Just messing around."

"Well Sora, I better go. Don't forget to pack a towel and sunscreen. And make sure the pillow fort is all cleaned up, and set the alarm."

"Yes mom." He chuckled sarcastically. "I'll see you there, right?"

"Yeah. I'll probably get there before you guys anyway. See you then."

"Bye Kairi." I hung up the phone feeling all giddy inside. Funny how a simple phone conversation could do that to me. Only with Sora.

I sat in silence for a few minutes, looking around the room. It wasn't long before Roxas's call rang throughout the house. "Kairi! I'm almost done!"

"Okay." How else was I supposed to reply to that? "Just tell me when you're ready to go!"

Another minute and a half later and Roxas was out of the bathroom, dressed in his jeans and white tee. "Ah, I feel a lot better now."

"Yeah, you look a lot better too. Naminé will appreciate that!"

He scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Way to make me feel a little insecure."

"I try. Now get in the car. I have to drop you off, go to my house and shower, and a whole list of other things to set you guys up for a love confession!"

"Is this the apocalypse?" Roxas snickered as he grabbed all his belongings. "Never before have I seen Kairi so intent on losing a bet."

"You should probably shut up now. Just in case I decide to change my mind."

That got him for sure. "Yes ma'am." He mumbled. Much better.

* * *

I stared at myself in the mirror. The shower I had taken earlier today really fixed my hair up, and for that I was grateful. I got to use my mom's super-expensive shampoo. She always kept the most expensive and most amazing things to herself.

My face had a light amount of make up on, but I swear it was for SPF purposes. It's not like I was trying to impress anyone. Or get a boy's attention, or anything of that sort. Strictly protection.

Okay, fine. Don't believe me.

I directed my attention to my clothing. The shirt was most certainly comfortable, so Naminé did a good job on that. But it did me no justice in the curve department. I looked a little odd with loose jeans (probably should've gone with skinny jeans, but too late now), and probably as flat as a board. Why can't I flaunt what little I have?

Skinniness was a curse sometimes.

I quickly looked over my whole outfit yet again. My white bathing suit remained unseen and unnoticeable underneath my clothing. Perfect. Now I'd be safe just in case any "accidental mishaps" occurred while taking pictures.

You gotta take those into account when you're dealing with boys. "Accidents" just occur at a higher frequency with them around.

"Kairi, you ready to go? Roxas and Naminé just left." Olette's voice rang on the other side of the bathroom door.

"Yeah, just making sure that my bathing suit can't be seen!" I opened the door, finding Olette on the other side of the threshold. "You _can't_ see it, right? I'm good to go?"

"Yup…" she turned around and took a step forward, only to turn around again. She gave me a thoughtful stare and narrowed her eyes.

"Something wrong?"

"I don't think so… just that your shirt really brings you out nicely."

"Really? I thought it kinda took away from me."

"No… that definitely looks great on you. It really does bring out your curves. Unless, of course, your boobs just decided to grow a significant amount since the last time I saw you." She started laughing, and I jokingly covered my chest.

"Okay, okay, I get it! You can stop scrutinizing now!"

"Hehe, sure thing! C'mon, let's head out now. Your car or mine?"

"Mine. I gotta pick up the kids halfway through anyway." I grabbed my bag, hopefully filled with everything I needed, and exited the house. Olette climbed into the passenger's seat shortly after.

Our conversation was filled with random topics, ranging from school, community service, jobs, and shopping. The best thing about Olette was that she didn't make you feel awkward when you talked with her: I didn't know Olette too well, despite us being in the same friend circle, but I certainly didn't feel uncomfortable with her either. Eventually, our conversation drifted to the universal topic that had to grace every single one of our conversations.

Boys.

"So is Sora going to the beach today?" she asked with a sudden curiosity.

"Yup. He and Riku are coming together. I would've driven with them, but Roxas would probably die if he was away from Naminé's side for over two hours." We couldn't help but giggle at the couple. "What makes you bring up Sora?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that the girls have taken an interest in him, you know?"

Now I was the curious one. "Girls? Is it more than one person?"

"Well, of course it's mainly Selphie. But I spoke with some of the girls, and we've come to the general consensus that he's a ten on the cuteness scale."

I wanted to agree, but that'd be giving myself away. "A ten? Who came up with this anyway?"

"Oh, all the girls. Excluding Paine, because she doesn't think his happy-go-lucky self denotes cuteness."

I beg to differ. "Ah, I guess she would…"

"Yeah. But the rest of us thought otherwise."

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You were included in the bunch?"

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that!" Olette laughed, playing with her hair. "I gave him a ten for being cute. So did Selphie and Yuna and Rikku. I think Xion gave him a nine."

"Xion?" I thought back to Naminé and inwardly cringed. Don't wanna turn out like that now…

"Yup. Anyway, that's the story behind that one. We had more trouble deciding his hotness score."

I felt what can be described as if a bunch of dogs just peed on my territory. That's not a pleasant feeling, by the way. "Oh? What'd he get?"

"I think it was a six." Olette giggled to herself. "Selphie and Rikku gave him an eight. The rest of us gave him either fives or sixes."

I made a mental note in my head. Selphie and Rikku. "I see. And when did this all go down?"

"The day after the party. All the girls went out, minus Naminé and you. Oh, and Selphie had work, but we just kidnapped her after she finished. I think Naminé had one of her Roxas dates, and you… hmm… what exactly did you do yesterday?"

"Oh, I just went… downtown… with Sora…" I turned to look out the window to admire the lovely weather we were having. My, the sky suddenly looked so interesting!

"You were out with Sora?" Olette nearly gasped in surprise.

"Yeah, but it's not what you think. It was a spying mission."

"It's okay, I won't press." Olette turned to look out her window with a smile on her face. "Kairi, what scores would you have given Sora? I'm curious."

"Oh… probably a nine… okay, ten," I corrected myself when Olette laughed, "and a seven on the second scale." That was actually the truth, believe it or not.

"Kairi, you are so modest." The brunette laughed loudly as I pulled into a tight parking spot. "Ah, it's going to be crowded. Hopefully everyone thought to carpool."

"I'm sure they did. Or they'll find parking elsewhere." We got out of the car, carrying everything that we brought. "Think Roxas and Naminé found a table?"

"Most likely… oh, that's them over there, right?" Sure enough, my eyes landed on two teenagers setting up an area with three or so picnic tables in a shaded area. Both were in the designated outfit of a white tee and jeans.

"Yup. Let's go!"

* * *

After setting up, Naminé and I went down to the beach to find a spot. Amazingly enough, it wasn't too crowded— well, it was filled with people, but finding a spot fit for a dozen or so teenagers wasn't too hard.

So we claimed our spot with two blankets, two umbrellas, and a cooler. Being the perfectionists we were, Naminé and I were sure to create the picture perfect set-up. An umbrella at the head of the two blankets, another one on the side, and the cooler sitting nicely under the shade. Everything was perfect. After reassuring Naminé that I wouldn't get kidnapped, she went back up the beach to call everyone over.

The skies were clear of all clouds—if you didn't count the wisps of cirrus clouds that brushed the blue canvas above. The breeze lightly kissed everyone, carrying with it the smell of the sea. There was nothing more refreshing than that sea splashed mist released into the air with each crashing wave.

"Sure is nice out, isn't it?" a familiar, masculine voice sounded behind me. I smiled.

"Definitely." I turned around to face the boy, "Did you just get here?"

Strands of silver rose and fell with the passing of light gusts. "Yup. I was ordered to bring these chairs," he shrugged his left shoulder where three chairs hung, "and these blankets. I don't think we'll need all of 'em." The blankets fell noiselessly onto the sand as he shrugged off the foldable chairs. "How long have you been here? Hopefully we haven't kept you waiting."

"I haven't been waiting long." I answered with a smile, finding his eyes under the mess of hair. "Nice outfit, by the way."

The joking compliment was returned with a smirk. "Why thank you. You'd look just as good if your shirt was a little whiter and your jeans a bit more blue."

I giggled again, giving him a hard shove on the shoulder. "You always know how to compliment a lady." He crossed his arms, a small smile on his face. "Where's Sora?"

"Ah, I saw that coming. He should be—" he stopped midsentence when Sora appeared at the end of the beach, carrying a lot of bags. "Oh, there he is. Hey dipshi—"

"Riku!" I interrupted before he could finish the insult. Sora heard enough and made his way over anyway. "Don't _yell_ it across the beach!"

"Oh, so I can still insult him, so long as it's not in front of a crowd?"

"Riku!" I gave him a hard stare, to which he playfully shrugged. Sora dropped the bags on the blanket, shaking them off like bird ruffling its feathers.

"Thanks for the help, sunshine." I couldn't help but giggle at their small exchange. The two were incredibly funny when they were together. I kind of envied their relationship. "Kairi? Earth to Kairi!"

"Huh?" I found a pair of concerned, cobalt eyes staring back at me.

"Whew. I thought I did something wrong and you were ignoring me."

"A relief indeed! Allow me to shout it from a mountaintop that Sora won't have a mental breakdown because Kairi was ignoring him."

"Oh shut up, Riku. We all know you're the lonely child vying for attention." I mocked Riku with a horrible rendition of his brooding face. I cracked Sora and Riku couldn't keep from laughing. "You two are so…"

"Amazing?"

"Sexy?"

"Yeah, I'll have to go with Sora on that one. You're the only one that thinks you're sexy, Riku." I joked. Sora chuckled, while Riku only allowed a reserved smile to surface. "Whose bags are those?"

"Everyone's!" Sora replied, setting his hands on his hips. His jeans were already slightly rolled up. "Well, I think it's everyone. A couple people were climbing out of the cars when I came here." He dropped himself right next to Riku under one of the umbrellas. "It's pretty hot out today. Will we have to wear jeans for a while?"

"That's dependent on how well we get this done. And how many pictures we want to take." Riku told him, leaning back on his hands. "You don't really have to be in the pictures, you know. How many people do you know here anyway?"

"Really well? Not many." He said with a smile. I shook my head.

"You're going to be in all the group pictures, no matter what. When we do separate pictures, then you can decide for yourself. You're part of the group now, Sora. Conform to the rules!"

"Well, you heard the boss lady," Riku laughed. "You gotta take pictures whether you like it or not!"

"Yes ma'am!" Sora added with a chuckle. We sat there under the shade of the umbrella for what seemed to be a long moment. No one spoke; it was such a nice atmosphere, and voices would only steal the beauty of the silence we shared.

"Heeeey!" a shrilly voice screeched through to us. I turned around, a tiny bit miffed that our tranquil peace was destroyed. "How are you guys?!" Selphie was running towards us, a large pair of sunglasses covering half of her face. Gosh that girl was too much. "You're all looking super fine in those matching outfits!"

"Wish I could say the same about you." Riku joked, earning himself a kick in the foot.

"You look just as great as any of us, Selphie." I complimented. The simple look really suited her. Too bad she loved to dress herself in mass amounts of glamour and accessories.

"Thank you Kairi!" she gave me a quick smile before turning around. "Hmm. They should all be coming down now. I think everyone's here."

"Did anyone break the dress code?" I asked.

"Surprisingly, no. Everyone remembered. I guess making a big deal out of it helped." Selphie suddenly started screaming and waving her arms around. "Hey! We're over here!"

I turned in the direction that she was screaming at and saw a mass of teens in blue jeans and white shirts. They were moving like a huge pack, a mass of white and blue trekking across the sands. "Selphie, I think they can see us. You can stop now."

"I just wanted to make sure they saw us."

I turned to Sora this time, who had been relatively quiet. "Hey, pretend you're talking to me. Make it look like we're doing something."

"What?" He looked a bit puzzled.

"Because it's incredibly awkward to watch people as they walk toward you."

"Oh, I know that." A smirk playing at his lips, "But why do we have to _pretend_?"

Where did _that_ come from?

"Ugh, get a room already." I rolled my eyes at Riku's comment just as Sora gave him a playful shove.

By the time I looked up again, everyone was close enough for me to see the whites of their eyes. Something jumped out at me when I saw Naminé uncomfortably walking next to Roxas. Though, it was the kind of uncomfortable that said 'why is that person here?'.

"Why the hell are we walking so slowly? Who's leading this sheep herd anyway?!" Oh no. That voice…

"Easy, babe." Axel brought a blonde under his arm. "But if you have to know and kill the person, it's Roxas." The group dispersed around the blanket, and thankfully I was approached only by Naminé.

Roxas either ignored their exchange or didn't hear them. "Well you guys look like you've made yourselves comfortable. Naminé," he turned to the blonde, who was no longer at his side. "Huh?"

"Why did you have to invite her?" Naminé asked. She was kinda maybe sorta _pissed._

"What?! I didn't! I didn't plan anything!" Roxas was suddenly on the defensive. Guess he knew what she was talking about.

"So why did you let Axel invite her? If you knew she was coming—" Naminé dropped right next to me with a huff.

"But I didn't!"

"—you wouldn't have invited him in the first place." She ignored him, making him sigh and drop right in front of her. Poor guy.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but who is that girl? I don't remember seeing her at the party." I turned to Sora, who was inconspicuously pointing at the girl who was ordering Demyx and Axel to set up a few umbrellas and blankets.

"That's Larxene." Naminé answered for me. "You won't like her. Trust me." Yup, she was pissed. The short, clipped sentences proved everything.

"Naminé, will you please—"

"_What,_ Roxas? Will I _what?_" Okaaay, not my problem anymore!

"Naminé isn't very fond of Larxene. And vice versa. They just don't get along." I explained to Sora.

"Why not?" he leaned to the side a little to observe the two blondes arguing, and then to Larxene. "Must be Axel's girlfriend… is it because she complains a lot?"

"Not exactly. She's… hmm, how to put this nicely…" How do I put Larxene nicely? "never mind. She's kinda mean, is all; she's just very mean to Naminé."

"Any reason why?"

"Not that I know of. I think she just decided one day that Naminé would make a great victim." I directed my attention to the blond bully, who finally seemed satisfied with the setup produced by Axel and Demyx. Why in the world did they listen to her?

"Sora! You're here!" I turned to see Rikku glomping Sora, who fell backwards laughing. "Nice to see you again!"

Why did she have to be so over-affectionate? A quick hello would've sufficed.

"Yup! I'll be here for a little longer." Paine and Yuna lifted Rikku off Sora's helpless form, obviously amused. "Thanks guys."

Paine nodded, walking away without a word. Yuna on the other hand flashed a smile. "No problem. Nice to see you again, Sora."

"You too, Yuna!"

"I know you think he's one hot piece of ass, but you have other friends too, Kairi!" I turned my attention to the owner of the voice: Selphie. "Besides, Rikku isn't a threat to you. She's that cuddly with everyone. You know that."

Oh, care to say anything a little louder? Maybe the whole beach will hear you next time. "Selphie, what are you talking about?" There she goes, making assumptions as usual.

"Don't play dumb with me. You totally just ignored Wakka's greeting. Imagine my surprise when I found the subject you were staring at! Your boyfriend's safe. Really."

Selphie, are you dumb? "I already told you…"

"Fine, fine! So he's still up for grabs?" Selphie asked slyly. Ugh, this girl…

"Selphie, you can leave now."

"Yikes, don't get mad at me. I promise to play fair!" She winked before running off to greet other people. Was it wrong for me to feel a strong desire to throw sand in her eyes and watch her writhe and cry in pain?

"It is so freakin' hot! Who's the wise guy that thought that jeans was appropriate wear for a beach when it's this hot?!" Oh no, why is she coming toward us?

"Hey, I thought the same thing!" Sora piped up. Larxene's fierce (and angry) eyes landed on Sora's smiling face. She stared at him for a while as if trying to figure out what to make of him.

She scratched her head with a finger before flippantly asking, "Who the fuck are you?"

Oh, how eloquent.

"I'm Sora. Nice to meet you!" He was still trying to make a good impression. Maybe I forgot to mention that she doesn't like it when—

"Ew. Wipe that ugly smile off your face, you tool bag. You look like a fucking munchkin. Do you actually think you'll get laid smiling like a fat kid who just found half-eaten cake out of a garbage can?"

"Oh, I wasn't trying—"

"Shut your trap. Every word that comes out of your mouth is a disgrace to everyone here! In fact, I don't even know why you're here. Nobody knows you."

"Actually, everyone he—"

"I'm sorry, but did you miss that part before? Perhaps you'd like a nice, big cup of _shut the fuck up_!"

"Okay, Larxene. That's enough." Axel came just in time; Sora was sitting there stunned with his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Let's go find a place to set up the volleyball net a little more up the beach."

"Yeah, just a couple thousand miles away…" I heard Naminé mumble under her breath.

Larxene turned to Naminé right after, but she probably didn't hear the offending statement. "Sounds good to me, babe. Anything to get me away from _that_ trash over there. Oh, and hello to you, little Roxas!"

"Hey, Larxene." Roxas replied in monotone. That didn't stop Naminé from sending him a death glare. The next second, he suddenly became interested in counting the grains of sand on the beach.

The two walked away without any more conflict, but left chaos between Roxas and Naminé. Well, it was more about Naminé being angry at Roxas.

"Wow, I didn't expect that at all." Sora seemed to recover from his stunned stupor and smiled at me. "What a psychopath."

"Yeah, sorry about that…" I inwardly cringed at the fact that all I could do was sit and watch everything unfold. Way to go, Kairi.

"Don't be. I was just as speechless as you were by the end of it all."

"Hey! Are you guys gonna sit around all day or are you gonna take some pictures with us?!" Riku yelled from the water. When did he get up and go?

"Yeah! We'll be right down!" Sora answered as he picked himself up. He offered me a hand. "Ready to get this over with?"

"You say that as if you don't want to take pictures." I took his hand, putting in half the effort to bring myself up. "Didn't I already tell you that you're going to be in every picture where I deem your presence is required?"

"Well then," walking ahead, he turned around and gave me a cheesy smile, "I guess every action of mine depends on your whims, Miss Kairi."

Oh, the many ways you could twist that statement… "Sounds pretty fun." With a laugh, I followed him to the water to meet up with the rest of our friends.

* * *

"Why is everyone so dumb?" Pence sighed as soon as we finished the last group picture. It took a good forty minutes, thanks to the large amount of people and the inability to follow simple directions. And the boys. Why do boys exist? To waste time? Really. That would've been twenty minutes shorter if it was without boys.

"I saw you Roxas! You were going for her _chest!"_ Hayner teased the poor blond who earlier held Naminé in an inescapable hug.

"Dude, shut up. Naminé…" Roxas turned just in time to see Naminé's back. "Damn it, Hayner…"

"Face it! You were going for it, man!" Hayner yelled over Roxas's shoulder, "And _you_ totally liked it!"

"So does this mean we can take off our jeans?" Sora asked, a bit irritated in the heat. I directed my full attention to him. The other boys were stupid anyway.

"Why so eager to strip?" I joked.

"He obviously thinks he's packing heat." Axel chimed from nowhere. "Sora, Sora… there's this thing. It's called patience. It keeps things calm, maintains the order, and keeps the beasts inside the pants. Commit it to memory. A crowded place is not the best place to rip your pants off and do the dir—" thankfully (I think) he was interrupted with a shove from an angry Roxas. I didn't want to hear where that was going.

"Why did you have to invite Larxene?!" Roxas was obviously looking for someone to blame now.

"Roxas, it's not Axel's fault." I tried to ease the tension, but it wasn't working. At all.

"Whoa now, don't get mad at me because Naminé is mad at you."

"Naminé wouldn't even be mad if it weren't for your _freaking girlfriend_!"

"Aww, that stings. She's your friend too you know."

"Well I'd appreciate it if she would back the hell off and leave Naminé alone!"

"Roxas." Xion entered the conversation with such a calm demeanor. I love how everyone randomly decides to have their little soap operas in front of me. "Larxene isn't even doing anything to Naminé." She laid a hand on his shoulder, "Calm down. They just don't get along. You'll have to accept it. And you shouldn't worry about Naminé."

"Xion, how can I _not_ worry? She's mad at me!"

"And not for long. Relax, Roxas. You know how to make her happy."

"Heheh, I have some condoms in the car if you nee—"

"Axel, _shut up._" Xion and Roxas commanded simultaneously. He cooperated, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Don't come whining to me when she gets pregnant then…"

"That's it!" Roxas made a lunge for Axel, who ran away cackling like a maniac.

"Roxas!" Xion once again held him back.

Meanwhile, Sora and I shared a bowl of popcorn and made ourselves comfortable on the couch, criticizing the terrible acting on the screen in front of us.

No, just kidding. We were, in fact, standing off to the side, staring dumbly and silently at the whole thing.

"He is just so _infuriating!_"

"Well that's Axel for you. Forget him, Roxas. You know he's just trying to piss you off."

"Well it's working."

"Just cool it. Don't let it bother you. Right guys?" She suddenly turned to us, breaking the fourth wall.

"Er, yeah. Listen to Xion." Way to spring that on us.

"Yeah. What she said." Sora quickly agreed.

"You should try to talk to her again. If that doesn't work, give her some time to cool off. Naminé can't stay mad at you for long." I encouraged. Xion gave me a thankful smile.

"F-Fine…" Roxas let out a long sigh and dragged his feet in the hot sand. "I'll go try now. If that doesn't work…"

"Then you wait and try again later." Xion patted him on the back. "You'll be fine." He marched off without another word, leaving the three of us alone and standing awkwardly.

"Um, you handled that very well." Sora complimented with a grin.

"Thanks. I'd like to think so. And thanks for your support. Hearing it from you two probably helped out in the long run."

"Glad we could help!" he answered for us.

"I'll catch you two later. I have to help Larxene and Demyx," she looked over to see Larxene yelling and pointing at Demyx in the distance, "er, Demyx then. Looks like I've got a little more mediating work to do…"

"Have fun!" With that, she jogged off, kicking up sand with each step. Sora turned to me with a pout. "Can I take my pants off now?"

Well you don't need my permission.

"Sora, do whatever you want. Looks like they're all done with you anyway."

"Yes!" He ran off, eager to finally take off a thick layer of clothing. I followed, just not as enthusiastically and not nearly as fast.

It's not like I was trying to hide the fact that I was trying to cover up for anything… you know, I wasn't eager or anything, so I had nothing to hide, so the lack of enthusiasm and such—

Ugh. Forget it.

* * *

Sora was applying sunscreen all over his body as fast as he could. Selphie and I kinda just watched as he rubbed the lotion all over his body.

"I think I can watch this all day." Selphie said with a laugh. "Really. I can watch this all day and not get tired of it."

"Selphie, don't be a pervert." I stuffed a handful of chips, as nonchalantly as I could, into my mouth.

"Don't act like you aren't enjoying this… oop, looks like he's having trouble reaching all over his back…" I pretended not to see Sora struggling to reach the center of his back. "I think I'm gonna…"

"Selphie, show some—"

"Sora! Come here!" Selphie beckoned.

He was in front of us in all his shirtless glory within seconds.

"Need something?"

"No, but it looks like you do!" Selphie reached for his hand and scooped up the remaining sunscreen. "Turn around." He obeyed, tensing when Selphie applied the sunscreen to his back.

"Er, thanks. I was having a bit of trouble with that…"

"I saw. You'll have to return the favor. I'm in desperate need for a tan anyway. Hope you don't mind."

Wait, what?

"Uh, I guess…"

"Great! Well, you're all done. My turn now!" I watched as Selphie lied face down on the blanket with a mischievous smile. When she noticed me looking at her, she winked. "I think Kairi could use some sunscreen too. Perhaps you'd like to do her too?" An excellent play on words, Selphie. If I wasn't so disgusted with you right now, you'd get a compliment.

"I'm fine. Really. I can do it myself." Sora gave me a confused look, probably because he picked up on my tone. "Not that I have a problem with you or anything! I just want to make sure it'll be done right, you know?"

"You don't trust me? I think you think I'll make a bunch of funny pictures so you tan with weird shapes on your back!" He was smiling again, back to the casual Sora with whom I had grown so comfortable.

"Maybe I don't want your sandy hands anywhere near my back."

"They're not sandy!"

"Sora, are you finished already?" Selphie interrupted. Sora and I realized that he had stopped applying sunscreen to her back. I couldn't help but smirk.

"Oops, guess I am!" he hastily rubbed his hands over her back, messily spreading the lotion everywhere. He then got up, took a step towards me, and dropped his hands on my shoulder. "Sorry, I can't play volleyball with messy hands." He wiped all the excess sunscreen on my shoulders and arms before running away laughing.

"I'm not your personal towel!" I yelled to him. He turned around with a chuckle.

"You sure? You make a great one!"

I couldn't help but giggle. "What a punk…" I tried to bury my smile before turning to Selphie. She was looking at me with a smirk on her face.

"Flirting, huh? I didn't know you were so good. You completely stole his attention!"

"Selphie, I didn't do anything. You directed his attention to me. If you never brought me up, none of that would have ever happened." Not that I was complaining or anything. "You brought that upon yourself."

"Whatever… all I know is that I'm fighting a losing battle."

"Well that makes two of us!" Roxas angrily stated as he dropped down right next to me. He was still wearing his jeans and t-shirt.

"Whoa… you swing in that direction too?" Selphie asked seriously.

Really, Selphie? Are you seriously asking that question? "Wow, you need to be quiet." I looked at Roxas, "I take that didn't go over well."

"Well no kidding! She started going off about Xion! When did it go from being about Larxene to Xion?!" Oh yeah, about that…

"She's probably just a little insecure…" I hinted as subtly as possible.

"Psh, or she's just flat-out jealous. Roxas, the poor girl likes… well, more like _loves_ you. She has for a long time."

"Selphie, you're not helping at a—" I flicked Roxas's forehead, making him stop.

"Hear her out, I think Selphie's about to give you that wisdom she rarely shows."

"Thank you for the backhanded compliment, Kairi." She threw in sarcastically. "Now, this is how it goes. She's liked you for a really long time. What do you think years and years of absolutely nothing happening will do to the poor girl?"

"What?! I haven't been doing… nothing…" he weakly defended.

"Exactly. Right now you're realizing that you've been wasting her time. Now, tell me, what happens when you're interested in someone, and years later, your relationship is still platonic? That sends the signal that maybe, just maybe, he's not interested."

"B-but…"

"I know, I know, you are, but you're too much of a wimp to do anything about it. Back to years of a platonic friendship. Throw in another girl that is also a good friend of yours, and you have insecurity. I know you and Xion are actually the platonic couple, but Naminé doesn't see that. You have to understand her. Years and years of waiting for you to do something has completely destroyed… well, not completely… anyway, it has greatly affected her confidence in you. Seeing you get all friendly with Xion to her looks like you've taken interest in another girl."

"But Xion and I aren't like that!"

"Well in the eyes of your best friend, it is like that. And that's just it. She feels like your best friend. A best friend who somewhere along the line fell in love, but feels that she'll always be in second place, stuck in that platonic relationship. Imagine you in her place. And let's say she's very friendly with another guy… let's say Axel. Or Riku! Let's say she's friendly with Riku. What are you going to assume if she's never, ever, _ever _directly told you that she likes you?"

Roxas shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms over his knees. "I don't know. Scared that she's gonna leave me?"

"Okay. Now, imagine watching her friendship with Riku grow over the years, while yours remains at a standstill. Four years. You watch their relationship develop for four years. How do you feel now?"

He sighed, burying his face in his arms. I looked at Selphie, who surprisingly had a solemn look on her face. She was no longer the girl I was joking with earlier. "Okay, I get it. But that still doesn't explain why she went from Larxene to Xion."

Selphie looked flabbergasted. She pointed to him and asked me, "Can you believe this guy? Is he _dumb_?"

"You're going to have to spell it out for him." I said, hoping to avoid the conflict.

"Fine. I will. First, Roxas, you're dumb. Second, she's angry at you. She's blaming you for Larxene's presence here. I'm not agreeing with her, because I have no idea why that anger is directed at you, but it is. She's going to find every reason to hate you. You talking with her rival doesn't help anything."

"So she… she's jealous?" Roxas tilted his head. Selphie's mouth fell open.

"Fuck my life. And Naminé's too. She fell for a fucktar—"

"Roxas, there are two solutions to this." I interrupted. Hopefully my voice would be enough to drown out Selphie's ranting. "You can either wait for this day to be over, and tomorrow Naminé is going to be your happy best friend again."

"Well, I figured…" Good. Way to use that brainpower!

"And the second choice… the second choice is to let her know. She's gotten so angry at you by now that it's not about Larxene anymore. When you leave someone to their anger, they think about it. Then it evolves and spreads to anything and everything and affects what you do. Like making a mistake in a tennis match. If you don't shake it off, you're guaranteed to make more mistakes."

Both he and Selphie were silent, only for different reasons: Selphie was fuming about how dumb Roxas was, while he was thinking about (I assume) what he was going to do.

"I wanted to have fun today…" Roxas almost whispered. "How can I do that when she's mad at me?"

"You know, if you went with the second option, all your problems would be solved! Hell, we'd have world peace, the end of world hunger, an unlimited supply of uniquely designed shoes…"

"Selphie, I think he gets the point." I interrupted, though I was glad that she had gotten over her negative mode. It just didn't fit the cheery girl.

"What? I was just sayin'..." She stretched before making herself comfortable on the blanket. "Do whatever you want, lover boy. You know what I want you to do, and if you ask anyone else, they're sure to give you the same answer." She hid her eyes behind her glasses and sighed, forfeiting the conversation.

"I don't think I've ever been this scared or nervous in my life."

"Roxas, you don't have to do it now." I told him. Selphie's leg twitched as the words escaped my mouth. "No, I'm not trying to make it so that I win the bet. If you don't want to tell her how you feel today, then don't feel like you have to. But, if you want to be happy, and you want _her_ to be happy, and," I thought to add more so Selphie wouldn't tear any of my limbs off, "if you tell her how you feel today, you eliminate a lot of future problems and current ones."

"Future problems?"

"Don't play dumb, Roxas. Look at her. She's bound to catch the attention of other guys… well, technically she has already. You give the impression that you'll castrate any other boy who makes a move."

"I would." He snorted. Selphie giggled, but remained silent.

"Well…" I couldn't believe what I was doing. I was throwing the match. "What if… what if, say, Naminé couldn't wait anymore? What if she really gave up on you and moved on? Roxas, you don't have to do anything, but… I really think you should tell her today. The timing would have been perfect had it not been for… you know… and you did say this morning that today you felt good!"

"Yeah, I did…"

Roxas, as much as I want a personal slave, that still doesn't prevail over the desire of seeing two of my best friends happy. Especially after seeing this for so long. It's torture." I finally managed to get a smile out of him. "C'mon, Roxas. Feelings can only remain bottled up for so long!"

He chuckled this time, running his fingers through the sand. "I guess… I guess I'll think about it. I just need a bit more time to think and uh, think of what to say…"

Selphie shot up, tearing her sunglasses off. "Wait, you're gonna do it?!" she looked completely taken aback.

"I didn't say that… I just need some time to think on whether or not I will… I can't even stop shaking." He withdrew his unsteady hands from the sand and released a shaky breath. "I'm so nervous… I need time to uh…"

"Compose yourself. Figure out what to say. Figure out how to do it all properly." I suggested.

"You should try to remember the corniest lines from the latest chick flick you saw. How you'll propose? What you'll name your babies!" Selphie added.

"Selphie, hon, that's enough." I raised my hand to stop the suggestions. "Those are all bad ideas. I hope you know that."

"I'm not dumb, Kairi." Selphie, I could tell, wanted to stab him in the jugular for saying that. "I'm gonna think about it alone for a while. I really need to just… stop shaking, for one thing!" he let out a nervous laugh as he stood up. "Yeah, I have to think about it. Thanks Kairi…" he walked off without another word, slightly wobbly on his legs. Selphie looked to me with a frown.

"How come he didn't thank me?!"

* * *

Selphie and I spent the next hour sunbathing: only she was trying to get a tan, and I was trying to fix mine. To pass the time, she told me all about her shopping trips that she had already completed (including window shopping); her shopping plans for the future, and occasionally she commented on the volleyball game going on yards away. She dominated most of the conversation, but it wasn't like I minded: it gave me some time to think to myself and watch Sora play volleyball.

Speaking of Sora, he seemed to be extremely competitive. Somehow or another, he and Riku ended up on a real beach volleyball match against Paine and Yuna. The two were doing surprisingly well, and for the most part, they were able to hold their own. Selphie would occasionally question why I started giggling every time he and Riku got into an argument, and then the next second they're high fiving and fist bumping. Boys are so weird. What in the world goes through their heads?

Especially Roxas. I have an idea as to what he might be thinking about (yup, I know, nothing gets past me!), but seriously. Just tell Naminé that you like her already! It's so simple! What is the point to hiding your feelings when you already know the other person likes you?!

As far as I thought, Roxas needed to step up his game. If Riku had the guts to put our friendship on the line to tell me how he felt… as awkward as that was… I think Roxas can man up enough to tell a girl who already likes him about his feelings.

"Kairi, I need you to come with me. Right now." The clipped words and the curt tone was enough to control my attention. I looked up to see Naminé, finally out her t-shirt and jeans, standing over me.

"Naminé, where were you? After I talked with Roxas, you kinda disappeared." I didn't want for an answer to get up and follow her. She still seemed to be rather… bitter.

"I went on a walk." She turned on her heel and began walking away, leaving me little choice but to follow.

"Alone? Naminé, I know it's broad daylight, but there are serious creepers out there. You shouldn't be going off alone… in a bikini, no less…"

"Well if I got kidnapped, then you'd know who to blame." I could tell she wasn't going to budge on her opinion of Roxas.

Speaking of the guy, Naminé led me right to him.

"Naminé, I wanted to talk to you alone." Roxas sighed. Naminé gave him a look that told him she didn't care. You know, the one where you look off in another direction and pretend the person isn't even there. "Please, Naminé. I know you want to listen to what I have to say. You wouldn't have come otherwise."

"Well then tell me. Don't waste my time." Her eyes finally met his in a fiery anger. His gaze softened.

"Naminé, I'm sorry…"

"For what?" she interrupted. "What exactly are you sorry for? You're already sorry for Larxene being here. Do you think that fixed anything?"

"I'm not apologizing for Larxene this time! It's… it's about Xion. Please." She tensed at the sound of that lingering word. A long breath escaped her mouth, her hands curling into fists.

"Okay. What is it that you need to say?"

"Xion and I… there's nothing between us. We're just friends, Naminé. Please believe me."

"You've told me this before."

"Naminé, I want you to stop being mad at me!" The words escaped his mouth in a yell before she even finished. I averted my gaze downward. Why did Naminé bring me here? "Please. Please, I can't do anything if you're mad at me. I really can't have fun or smile or think when you're mad at me. Naminé…" she wrapped herself up in her arms, backing up slightly when Roxas moved forward. "Naminé, I want you to be happy again. I want my best friend back."

And in that moment, time seemed to freeze. It was at that moment I realized why Naminé brought me there.

I saw it. The way her fingers dug into her arms at the last few words. The way her body seemed to snap and become as tense as steel. The way her lips quivered into a frown.

But on the surface, none of that happened. She remained perfectly composed. On the outside, her eyes betrayed nothing. Her lips curved into the smallest smile. Her shoulders relaxed, as if everything up to that point had been resolved.

"Roxas…" her voice, calm and collected, was broken by a disappointed laugh. "After all this time, I thought you would…" she took a deep breath, releasing it at a steady pace. "You don't understand me at all."

She turned on her heel, trying to leave. A hand shot out to grab her wrist, seizing it right out of the air.

"Wait, please don't go. Wait. _Please_ wait."

"Roxas, let me go. Now." She said sternly.

"Naminé, please think about this…" I feebly added, trying to convince her to stay.

"Roxas. Let me go." She repeated. His grip didn't loosen. "Please. Let me go, Roxas."

Her arm was released without another word. Roxas cast his gaze downwards, his arms shaking. I gulped. Was this my fault? Was I trying too hard to force something that wasn't ready? If it was my fault, I could still fix it, right?

"So my boyfriend told me there's this pussy-whipped, pubescent teenager that has yet to grow a pair and a Barbie doll attention whore who are fighting because of me!" A hand came crashing down on my shoulder, and a pair of fierce green eyes staring right at me. "Oh!" her head snapped in the direction of my two friends. "I think I found them!"

"Larxene, please not now…" Roxas begged quietly.

"Oh, why not?! Do tell, little Roxas!" she turned to Naminé, "Something the matter there, witch? Did daddy not give you enough attention or something?"

I decided I had to step in. I wasn't going to let her grind the shattered glass into powder. "Larxene, this isn't really the time for—"

"Your timing is impeccable as always." Naminé suddenly said. She turned around; her eyes clear of all emotion except anger.

"She speaks! You, tennis princess, contact the local news right now, we've got a story on our hands!" Larxene laughed maniacally. "Oh, this is quite the sight. Did I do this? I'm better than I thought. Really, I don't give myself enough credit."

"Do you want something?" Naminé asked calmly. "Or perhaps you're a little miffed that all you got was a destroyed friendship?" Roxas cringed at her last words.

"Huh? How'd you know? There's a brain cell in that tiny head of yours after all! And here I thought it was filled with hot air." She turned to me again, an annoyed look on her face. "Are you kidding me, princess? I told you to get the local news! This stuff is more exciting than the last panda on earth having a baby!"

"Leave her out of this." Naminé said indignantly. She took a step toward Larxene.

"Brave. Mommy and Daddy would be so proud." The older blonde wiped away a fake tear.

"If you think insults are actually going to affect me, you're sorely mistaken. I'm at that point where everything you say right now is meaningless."

Larxene blinked, placing her weight on one of her legs. "Oh. Okay." She scratched her head. "Well in that case, you're a witch, bitch, whore…" she began to rattle off insults, tapping each of her fingers as she came up with new ones.

"That's enough!" Roxas yelled, loud enough for the whole vicinity to hear. "Leave her alone, Larxene! She's never done anything to you!" Naminé froze, her eyes widening.

"So? Why can't I just mess with her then? You gonna stop me?"

"Yeah. And if I have to hurt you, I will!"

Larxene's shrill laughter filled the air. "Aww, well aren't you so cute? But I have to wonder why you're still defending her. Did you not hear? You guys aren't friends anymore. Whatever you guys had was already destroyed!" she patted his shoulder, which he angrily brushed off.

"I don't care! If you ever make a move to harm her again, I'll always get in your way. I'll always be standing between you and her!" he said fiercely. Larxene wasn't taken aback one bit.

"Ugh. Now why would you do tha—?"

"Because I like her!" he practically yelled it in her face. I saw a figure go rigid, and I focused my eyes on Naminé, who looked so beyond surprised. "I like Naminé, and I'm not going to stand by and watch you bully her, Larxene." His breathing became heavy, a sign of his anger and conviction.

"R-Roxas… is that…" Naminé was shaking now, her eyes pleading for the truth.

"Yes, of course it is, Naminé." Roxas smiled. "It's all true. I really like y—" his words were cut off when Larxene's knee crashed into a very sensitive body part.

"Oh. So you really _did_ grow a pair." She said nonchalantly. Roxas, who was hunched over in pain, was pushed to the floor with one hand. "How ridiculous. I'm not that hard to miss. Letting the corniest scene ever unfold before my eyes? You two make me sick." She was about to turn around, but she was forced to take a few steps back when Naminé shoved her hard.

IT was the first act of physical violence I had ever seen from Naminé. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you really that much a bitch to do something like that?!" Naminé was practically screaming, catching the attention of a few of our friends who dared to take a few steps closer. "You really are a heartless—"

"Don't talk to me like you know me!" Larxene yelled angrily.

"What I know is that you seem to be out to get me! What the heck did I ever do to you?!"

"Shut up. I have no desire to talk with you anymore, you witch." Larxene glared at Roxas, who was still writhing on the sand. "Hey! Roxas! Get up already!"

"Leave him alone!" Naminé stepped between the two, her eyes shining with a scary ferocity.

"You gonna man up yet? Right now your girlfriend's defending you! What was all that talk about you getting in between me and her? I thought you said you were gonna stop me!"

"Roxas…" Naminé helped the boy up to his feet, who seemed to be recovering.

"Roxas, I'll seriously hurt her unless you stand up straight and tell her what's really on your mind." Larxene's tone changed dramatically; it was quieter, almost deadlier, and much more serious.

"Leave him alone, Larxene…" Naminé cast a pleading look to Axel, who was approaching fast.

"Tell her, Roxas! Don't doubt me when I say I'll hurt her."

"What is she— Roxas?"

He was standing at his full height now, his face red from the pain. He held Naminé firmly in his arms. "She's r-right. I do have something more to say."

"What?"

"I really do like you, but… what's even truer is that I'm in love with you, Naminé."

Oh my gosh. Did he just confess...?

"Wha?" Her question was answered before it could completely escape her mouth.

He kissed her.

* * *

RE: I would like to address **sashu, dearlybelovedangel, ShadowSpooky, True-Light-San, Fanfiction Fanatiction, namine zemyx, SilverClock, Electron Beam, sillysally, young gun kid, IConcurVehemently, TinaalovesMints, Dynasty021, mookie muffin, Arrocha Semotis Vir, hidden x charade, KHGamegirl**, **KHgatomon3444, Princess of blah blah blah, ItzStorytime, Black-Dax, 0rg1n1z4t10nXII, Lebrezie, Blood Seraph, Faith Angel, Handwritten, SecretAgent99, Aldergrace, rebel-chan, kikofreako, Ocean Starfly, mattjesse, Taygon55, HideYourFeathers, and jenyflo 5483:** Thank you all very much for your support. All of you really do push me forward to become a better and more entertaining writer. I will never get tired of thanking you guys. Seriously, I owe it all to you.

Huge thanks to everyone who added this story or me to their alerts list or favorites list. I'm glad you find it worthy of your attention.

All in all, thank you everyone for reading! Take care of yourselves, okay? I'll see you around.


	11. The Beach Party's End

Chapter 11: The Beach Party's End

What in the world just happened?

One second I'm making this _awesome_ save to keep the volleyball game going, and the next I'm staring at Roxas kissing Naminé.

Did I miss? Was I knocked out?

"Riku, are you seeing this?" I pointed in the direction of Roxas and Naminé. I spotted Kairi close by, who also looked surprise. So I probably wasn't unconscious right now.

"No way." He ran toward the pair, so I quickly followed. I came to a halt behind a couple other of our friends who were cheering and clapping for the couple (who, I might add, were still kissing).

"Congratulations!" Olette cheered happily for the two.

"Finally!"

"I can't believe he did it!"

"Way to go, Roxas!"

"I want _my_ man back, Naminé!"

Okay, seriously. Who is the guy that keeps saying all those weird comments?

Paying no more attention to the crowd, my eyes searched and landed on Larxene, who seemed to be…

Smiling?

Her eyes met mine in a second, and, as soon as she noticed I was looking, immediately frowned. She walked away from the crowd, dragging Axel along with her.

"There, I helped our little friend. My job's done here. Take me home already; I'm sick of these kids." I heard her say as she passed. Axel shouted a congratulatory message to Roxas before following her.

Wonder what that was all about.

"Sora!" I turned at the sound of her voice. Kairi. She was beaming; I couldn't resist the smile that was forming on my face. "Did you see that? Don't tell me you missed it!"

"Well, I saw Roxas and Naminé kissing. Did anything else happen?"

"Sora, he confessed his undying love for her! Oh, you should've seen it all. It was like a scene ripped from the silver screens!" She laughed giddily.

"That hopeless romantic within you must be absolutely elated."

"Hey, don't make fun of me!" she chided. "I was right in front of them the whole time. Sora, you should've seen it! The end was so cute! Even though the means to achieve it were kinda…"

"Kinda what?" I raised a brow. I was still smiling; seeing Kairi this happy gave me a weird feeling in my stomach.

"Never mind that part. All that matters now is that they're finally together! Gosh I'm so happy right now!" The next moment, she threw her arms around me and gave me a squeeze. Before I could react, she pulled away. "Sorry about that! It's just that I'm so excited. I've been waiting for this moment for years!"

I was a bit dazed. Did she just give me a hug? Moreover, did I just miss the chance to hug her back? "Uh, yeah. Excited. Bet they're just as, if not more, excited than you are!"

"I bet! Are they free right now?" She turned around quickly, bouncing on her feet. "Ugh, make Hayner go away! I wanna talk to them!"

"Easy, Kairi! You'll get your chance!" I laughed at her enthusiasm. It was Kairi on her happy high all over again.

My absolute favorite.

"Hey you two! What exactly just happened?" Riku ran over to us, a confused look on his face. "One moment those two are making out, the next everyone's congratulating them."

"They weren't making out! They were sharing their first kiss, Riku!" she corrected.

"Whoa, what did you slip into her drink, Sora?"

"Hey!" That was uncalled for!

"Don't be jealous that it's not you kissing Naminé!" Kairi teased, sticking her tongue out. She backed away laughing when Riku made a move to pinch it.

"Ew, Kairi. Don't be gross." Riku cringed when he looked over at the new couple. "Yeah, congratulations, Roxas."

"Riku, are you implying something about Naminé?" Kairi placed her hands at her hips and raised a brow.

"No, nothing. She was always his anyway. How could you even suggest that I would be jealous?"

"Riku, don't make a huge fuss about it! I was just kidding around anyway… unless, of course…"

"Riku, do you have something that you wanna tell us?" I chimed in.

"Ugh, now you two are teaming up on me. Fine, I get it, you don't want me around." He still had the Riku-smile on his face when he walked away.

"Aww, we were just kidding!" I called to him.

"I know!" he didn't bother turning around. "We have to continue that game later. We can totally beat those girls."

"You bet!" I pumped my fist into the air. Kairi giggled nearby.

"Aren't you two the big men on the beach? You sure aim high. Beat those girls!"

"Yeah, we will! Don't make fun either, those two are _trained athletes._ I'd be just as pumped if I were playing a tennis match against you."

"Well you wouldn't win. Not that I'm cocky or anything." She teased, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Don't be so sure, Kairi. I'm quite the competent and competitive athlete. I excel at every sport I play." I stuck my nose in the air, acting all high and mighty. With a poke to the stomach, my image collapsed.

"Oh be quiet. You haven't done much to show me." Whoa, ouch! What's with the below-the-belt comment?

"Ouch, Kairi. That hurts."

"Good. Because if you ever expect me to believe you, you'll have to show me." She winked cutely, making my face get hot all over again. I was out of witty comments.

"Out of all the people here, we at least expected you guys to say something!" Roxas's voice tore through our conversation, and we both turned to find the new couple approaching us, hand in hand.

Well, now it's official. As if none of us saw this coming.

"You seemed to be quite busy with everyone else… and are you okay?" Kairi asked with a laugh.

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine now. Just felt like I got the wind knocked out of me."

"From that breathtaking kiss, I'm sure!" Kairi teased. The couple laughed nervously, but smiled regardless.

"Congratulations guys!" I grinned. They seemed to be glowing. "Sorry I missed the whole thing too. I was kinda…"

"Busy playing volleyball? Don't worry, the fewer witnesses, the better!" Naminé giggled. Roxas scratched the back of his head, grumbling about something painful.

"Look, if anyone asks about us, can you tell them that we went for a walk? And that they're not allowed to follow." Roxas went red when he made eye contact with Kairi.

"You can count on us then! So nice of you guys to seek privacy. I'm glad you're not one of those disgusting PDA couples." Kairi nudged.

"Kairi!" Naminé laughed in shock. "You know what, never mind. We'll see you two later."

"Yes, do enjoy your newfound love for each other!" Kairi gave them a shove, and with a an exchange of witty comebacks, they were off. She turned to me, flipping her hair with a giggle. "I'm so glad I can see those two as cute now instead of annoying."

"You thought they were annoying?" I teased.

"Oh, you know what I mean!" she poked me in the cheek. "Anyway, you hungry? How about we get some food?"

Huh? "With me?"

"No, Sora. With Selphie." Her eyes shone with mirth. "Of course I mean you! Now come on, we'll race to the table!" with that, she darted off.

"H-hey! Wait a second!" With a growl, I chased after her.

I wasn't going to lose the race to the food.

* * *

Needless to say, I won. Yes, the Great Sora once again won another footrace. My gosh, I am amazing.

Kidding. When we arrived at the table, a few people of the group were already there. To my surprise, I found Demyx behind the grill, flipping burgers and turning hot dogs. The guy was wearing… oven mitts. Said something about how Axel scarred him for life with an accident involving fire. I didn't ask questions.

"Want some soda?" I held out a full cup of the carbonated soft drink. She took it immediately.

"Why thank you kind sir." She patted the spot next to her, which I took. With secret eagerness, if I may add.

"So did you…" Think fast Sora, think! "Did you see what happened?" Perfect. That ought to hold a conversation.

"Yup. I saw the whole thing. In my opinion, the reality of it was the most unromantic, rushed, unconventional, and possibly the strangest love confession I have ever seen."

I smiled, more at the way she tucked her hair behind her ear than her method of description. "That's a lot of adjectives. Mind filling me in? One second I was playing volleyball, and the next I saw them… you know."

She nudged me with her elbow, "Aww, is wittle Sowa too afwaid to say the word 'kissing'?"

"Urgh, Kairi!" My face suddenly got all red and itchy.

"I'm kidding, Sora! Relax. And if you must know, I… well, let's start from the beginning." For the next minute or so, I listened to Kairi tell the story of how the whole thing came to be, from Larxene entering an apparent bitch mode (or at least, taking it up three notches) to Roxas telling Naminé that he liked her, to Roxas getting a knee to the balls (which I got a nice laugh out of) and to him, in all his breathless glory, going on with a love confession.

She wasn't lying. That was an incredibly bad delivery.

"So let me get this straight. Roxas revealed his feelings once, got a knee to the crotch, and then confessed his undying love for her?" I recounted the events on my hand. Kairi nodded with a laugh.

"Yup. Exactly in that order. Nothing like a knee to the sensitive region to bring out a love confession. Now I know how to wrangle it out of a boy."

I froze. A small part of me was screaming, crying, begging me to not fall for the beautiful redhead next to me. A chill ran down my spine at the thought. If I confessed, I was going to…

I could feel the tears coming. Confessing was going to _hurt?_ Physically?

Kairi's loud laughter broke me out of my reverie. I shook my head, scratching the back of my head. She rested her forehead on my shoulder, still recovering from her laughing fit.

"Wh-what? What's so funny?" As much as I was enjoying myself, I still wanted to be in the joke circle.

"You should've seen your face! Sora, you need to learn how to discern between my jokes and serious words. Loosen up a little!"

I smiled. She was right. I inwardly slapped my face a few times. Calm down, Sora! Be comfortable with her! "Ha, sorry. I actually took you seriously there. Though, that would be a funny scene." As long as it was some other guy that took the hit _and_ got denied.

"Ha. Sure, you felt bad for the guy." She placed her empty cup on the table, chewing on some chips. "You really should've seen it. You would've learned a thing or two!"

"You learn the how-to's and the what not's of a love confession?" I asked with a grin. She returned it with equal confidence.

"Of course. Roxas was lucky it was Naminé. Any other girl would've denied such a crappy delivery like that."

Why did it suddenly get hotter? "O-oh…"

She shook her head, "There you go again, Sora! I'm kidding. Jeez, where's that happy, carefree Sora I grew so fond of? Is he still home? If so, I'd like to speak with him!" She knocked on my forehead with a giggle.

"Hey!" I swatted her hand away, rubbing my aching noggin. "He's here. In fact, he is currently speaking. What can he do for Miss Kairi today?"

"Well for starters, he can stop talking in third person." She reached across my body and took the drink out of my hand. "And second, he can either get me a refill or refill his own drink."

Time seemed to slow down as Kairi raised the plastic cup to her mouth. I watched, completely and utterly memorized, as the plastic container made contact with her soft lips.

Why wasn't I a plastic cup right now?_ Why?!_

"Why?"

"Huh?" Kairi lowered the cup, her soft eyes meeting mine in question. "Sorry, was there…?"

Did I say that out loud? "Oh! No, nothing's wrong. Uh, here!" I held out my hand, "Let me get us a refill." Us? Get us? Ugh, Sora! Way to be subtle!

"Oh, well thanks!" she handed the cup to me and got up. "I'm gonna grab my phone and some more sunscreen, so uh… I'll be right back!"

"All right." We parted, and as soon as she was far enough, I let out a long breath.

Why was talking with girls so hard?

"Hey Demyx, these cheeseburgers are pretty damn awesome." I complimented the chef as I refilled the cup. Our cup. You know, the one Kairi and I were sharing.

"Thanks! You're the first person that actually complimented me."

"Oh, you really should put more confidence in your cooking skills, my man!"

"Axel!" The blond turned to the older boy in surprise. "I thought you left already!"

"Well, I'm leaving now. Xion has the keys, and I told her to meet me here." Axel picked up the lighter fluid and stared at the label.

"Hey Axel!" Xion waved for his attention, jogging with keys in hand. "Leaving already?"

"Oh I'll be back. My girlfriend wants to leave pronto. Says she's sick of all you kids and the no-alcohol party."

"As I recall, Larxene gets pretty friendly when she's wasted…" Demyx said in thought. Axel shot him a glare.

"Well, it seems I must be going now. Xion, Sora, I'll be seeing you cats around. As for you, Demyx…" In an instant, Axel squirted the lighter fluid on Demyx's oven mitts. "Oh my gosh you're GONNA DIE! RUN, DEMYX, RUN!"

The blond suddenly started screaming and shrieking in the most high-pitched, effeminate scream I had ever heard in my entire life. Yes, even more feminine than the girlish squeals that I've come across in my seventeen years of life. He suddenly dropped down to the floor and started rolling, his shrilly squeals continuing. Axel ran away, almost tripping over as he cackled.

"Axel! That was uncalled for!" Xion was at Demyx's side just as quickly, trying to calm the guy down.

"Get it off get it off _get it off!_" Demyx screamed, still like a little girl, as he tried to tear off the mitts.

"Stop it, Demyx! Calm down! You're not on fire!"

"I'm telling Larxene you called her a hoe-bag!"

"Axel!" Xion screamed. She turned to me, exasperated. "Sorry to bother, but can you help me out?"

"Er, what do I do?" Seeing as I've never encountered a guy like Demyx, I could use some instruction.

"Well, could you take the oven mitts off him?" Xion pointed to the rolling Demyx. "I can't catch him. He'll be rolling for hours if we don't stop him."

"Uh, sure thing…" I ran over to the screaming young man and quickly took off the mitts. The poor guy started whimpering. "There. Now if I may ask, what the hell was that all about?"

"Axel, as you may have known, loves watching fires. One time Demyx was grilling outside, his apron caught on fire. He started screaming for help and tried to pat out the fire, but that didn't work. At all. Axel was with him at the time, but he kinda just… watched. The whole thing scarred Demyx for life. Axel found it hilarious, but now Demyx has this weird fear of catching fire. I'm pretty sure it was Axel's fault that Demyx was suddenly on fire anyway…" she sighed, dusting her legs off. "Thanks a bunch, Sora. I'll try and set the guy straight again. Could you watch over the cooking for a bit?"

"Yeah, sure…" With that, Xion escorted Demyx away, leaving me alone at the table and grill. I waited at the grill, still holding the refilled cup.

"Well lookie here, Sora the Chef!" I turned to see Rox— no, wait, that was Ven, approaching with a huge smile on his face. His hair was a wet mess, and water continuously dropped from the bottom of his swimming trunks. "My gosh, I'm starving. I'd like a cheeseburger, melted cheese if you will, medium well on a toasted bun."

"Well gee, since you asked so kindly…" I gave him an already cooked burger and dropped a slice of cheese on it. "Courtesy of Demyx. Like hell I'd fill an order like that."

"Man, why do we hire fools like you? What happened to quality? All that matters today is getting shit done…"

"Ven, stop picking on Sora." Aqua suddenly appeared behind me, just as wet as her boyfriend. "Gimme. I want a bite." He held out the burger for her. I made an effort to not pay attention in an attempt to give them some semblance of privacy.

Pretty soon, most of the group approached the table to eat. Hayner eagerly took my job as chef, saying something about his 'mad grilling skills' (in my opinion it was just another way of showing off in front of Olette). Kairi, much to my relief and delight, showed up as well.

"Hey, took you long enough! I thought you might've drowned!" I walked over to the beautiful girl; we took a seat on the same side of the table bench. She took the cup I held (in case you didn't know, we were sharing that cup) and took a gulp of soda.

"Me? Drown? Ha! Even if I did, I'm sure you would've been right there to save me, huh?"

"Got that right! Certified for CPR!" I fist pumped for added effect. She laughed, so I took that she liked it.

"Oh? So you'd give me CPR in that extreme case that I needed it?"

Don't blush! She's challenging me! "It'd actually be my honor." Ha. How's that? Score for Sora.

She giggled, smiling softly. "Thank you, Sora." In a second, her tone suddenly became joking and playful. "But go figure. Of course you'd jump at the opportunity to put your hands on my chest and stuff your tongue down my throat."

"Kairi! It's not like that!" No way! I didn't intend to come off like that!

She shot up from her spot and shot an accusing finger in my direction. I froze, but she once again broke out into a fit of giggles. "You're too easy!"

I had it. "Why you…!" She ran away laughing, and I quickly chased her down. She made it quite far before I managed to grab her by the waist and, spinning her around, I pulled us to the ground.

"Sora! You can't tackle a girl!" she looked up at me in mock surprise.

"Well I just did!" I held her in place, a victorious smile on my face.

She quickly shoved me off, seemingly without much effort. Then again, I didn't really try to stay on top of her. My plan wasn't to cause a scene. "Oh Sora, you are such an easy target."

"Maybe you're just good at what you do." She helped me back to my feet, this time with no accidents. She stared at the ocean, her eyes brimming with excitement.

"Hey, I wanna go swimming."

I wanted to tell her she could go, but I thought before I spoke. "Er, do you want me to… I mean, do you mind if I come with you?" I asked.

"Only if you can beat me there!" She took off before she finished her sentence. I quickly followed and soon I was ahead of her. I stopped just before the sand turned wet and turned around, watching as she walked to a spot right beside me.

"Jeez, four seconds later!" I teased, earning myself a playful shove.

"You're fast, Sora. I think faster than Riku." I secretly swelled with pride. I was, and Kairi noticed. Who knew such an irrelevant achievement could be so empowering?

"Yeah, I'm kind of a big deal…" I stretched casually. She caught wind of the joke, laughing.

"Oh please. So you're good at running away. Do you want a trophy for that?"

"Hey!" that was insulting! Just because I was fast didn't mean I ran away from everything!

"I'm kidding, Sora." She turned to face the ocean again, breathing in the salty air.

I took the time to admire the beach. The sun was hot, but not enough to be beating me down to dehydration. It was actually warm. Envision it: the feel of the warm sun on your back, that wonderful feeling and comfort it granted. Then, offset it with the crashing waves and the ocean spray. The salty mists the waves created were simply refreshing. And then the water would lap at your feet, cool and soft, tickling your skin, only to retreat again.

And then I looked to the girl standing beside me and almost lost my breath.

She was so _captivating_.

Her creamy, soft skin seemed to glow in the bright sunlight, and I fought all urges to reach out and touch her. Her attention-snagging hair color seemed more vivid, soft and laced with the smell of wild cherries. It looked so soft, and once again I felt the urge to run my fingers through the strands of her hair that fell so perfectly around her flawless face. Her lips, slightly parted by her smile… I stopped as I felt a hot, burning sensation running up my back and throughout my face. I fought for control. I would not jeopardize this friendship I had learned to treasure so quickly, that I became so fond of in the short amount of time that I knew her.

And then she looked at me, making my muscles go weak as I held her gaze. Those eyes that seemed to seamlessly blend lavender and blue into one perfect color, hidden behind a slight squint, held me in a state of awe. I felt I would lose strength in my legs if I stared any longer. I broke eye contact, my heart racing, my face burning. For some reason, I feared that she could read my thoughts, simply by matching my gaze. It was terrifying, yet exciting. She would know my feelings for her with one look: terrifying if it destroyed our friendship, but exciting in a world where those sentiments were returned.

I realized then that she had gained so much power, so much control over me. Inside, a part of silently begged for her attention, her touch, her gaze. That same part wanted to be the reason she laughed and smiled, the provider of her happiness, the source of her comfort.

And that part was slowly overwhelming me from the inside out.

Two words of her silky voice pulled me back to the physical world. I blinked once, twice, before the words registered. "Shall we?"

I looked into her eyes, then her outstretched hand, then her eyes again. I was allowed to touch her? I placed my hand in hers, which she securely held. And then she took me with her, laughing along the way as I complained about how chilly the water felt around my waist. The musical symphony of her giggles and words kept me smiling as she continued to bring us out, farther and farther, until the water lapped at our chins. She dunked her head, surfacing not a second later, rubbing the water from her eyes.

I finally got used to the water and followed suit. I came up quickly, shaking the water from my hair and face. "Feels nice." I said lamely. She stared at me, her mouth parted in thought. "Something wrong?"

She took a step toward me. She was so close now, right in front of me. If I leaned forward in the slightest, my lips could graze her head. If only I leaned forward. "Your hair…" She reached up, tugging my hair with a little force. "It's still standing! Even when it's wet it's still standing!"

I laughed. To think that all along, she was entranced by my hair. I'd have to look in the mirror later and thank it. "Yup! It's beyond my control, really." Her gaze was locked, and occasionally she'd reach out to touch it. I merely stood still, a peculiar sense of fulfillment spreading through me. If my hair was going to make her happy, then by all means.

"That's so cool! It's cute too!" she teased. I was glad she didn't know the effect those words had on me. I could've melted right there.

"Well, yours is still as beautiful as ever." I reached out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear like she had done many times before.

And then I stopped.

What in the world possessed me to do that? To say something like that? _Why_ did that slip out?!

But she surprised me. She giggled, taking my outstretched hand and wrapping her fingers around it. "Thank you. You're definitely the first to tell me my hair still looks decent when it's wet." She joked. She splashed her face, which had become slightly red. I couldn't help but blush.

"Oh, you're welcome…" I awkwardly smiled. She released my hand and sighed, spreading her arms wide.

"Doesn't this feel amazing? The cool water, the warm sun… it's perfect."

You're perfect. "Yeah. It's the best. This place really does have the best beaches." I agreed, throwing myself backwards to float in the water. I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun kiss my face. The feel, the sounds… if you could only imagine how wonderful it was! It really was perfect. Spending it with Kairi was anything I could've asked for as well.

"Hey Sora…" I heard the muffled voice in the water, so I quickly shot up. She was smiling softly, her hands wrapped around her waist. "How long are you staying here? You know, in Destiny Islands."

I grinned. "I guess that's up to Tifa and Cloud. And how quickly they want to visit my mom." The reason why I didn't give a straight answer was because I didn't know myself. "Though I'm sure they'll want a few days at home. They just got off their private vacation, after all."

She smiled at this. "Yeah, you're right." She looked out to sea again, a light breeze bringing warm air in its wake. "Hey Sora," she said in the same exact fashion. I could get used to that. "What's your mom like?"

I wasn't expecting the question at all. Nevertheless, I thought out loud. "Hmm… she's actually really cool. She's a doctor, of course, though only for about eight or nine years. Er, yeah…" I couldn't think of anything else to say. "You just have to meet her, I guess… oh, she can beatbox! It's really awesome!"

She burst out laughing with me at the random fact. What? I thought that was the coolest factoid about my mother. Not many mothers who are doctors can beatbox like she can!

"That has to be one of the strangest facts about any parent I've ever head. Seriously Sora, you couldn't think of anything else?" She was laughing all the while, almost surprised at my ridiculous choice.

"There are a lot of things. Like I said, you have to meet her one day." I splashed my face, moving with the waves.

"Yeah. I hope I do. She sounds like a great person. A beatboxing doctor. How could you go wrong?" she joked. We laughed for the umpteenth time.

I couldn't remember the last time I was so happy, laughing so much. Kairi really did have a huge effect on me.

Very few things could top moments like this.

* * *

We talked about the strangest things: how cool it would be to breathe and walk underwater, a philosophical discussion on colors and how we might perceive different colors to be the same (it wasn't that philosophical at all; it was Kairi who carried that conversation. She said something about how she's learned that a certain color is blue, but it would be the color I see as green, and all that confusing stuff), a would-you-rather game that got incredibly morbid, and our favorite kind of cookie and why it was our favorite.

Before we knew it, a couple onshore was calling our names. Seeing Naminé and Roxas standing at the water's edge, I challenged Kairi to a race back. Of course she accepted, and no surprise, I won.

Yes, I am a big deal. I know, I know, please hold your applause.

"Hey guys. What's up?" I panted, resting my hands on my knees. That took an awful lot out of me. But who cares, I won.

"Well, we actually wanted to talk to Kairi. But congratulations on winning the race." Roxas smiled.

"Whatever, I wasn't trying!" Kairi panted behind me, I turned to look at her walking, exhaustedly, to where we were. She rested her arm across my back, using me to hold herself up. "Jeez. We went out pretty far… why'd you call us?"

"Well, you have to leave in about forty-five minutes to pick up my cousins."

"That's it? Just to remind me? I had that under control. Riku was going to scream like a little girl at twenty 'til!" she said with a laugh.

"Aww man! Way to kill the fun, you guys!" I chuckled at the thought of an effeminate Riku. The scary part was that I could actually see it. Naminé giggled as well, but Roxas angrily scratched the back of his head, obviously out of patience.

"Sorry about that. Had I known, I wouldn't have led Roxas over here." Excellent choice of words, Naminé.

"Well, too late now. Where'd you guys go anyway?" I asked.

"We went on a walk." Naminé simply said, pulling Roxas down so she could kiss him on the cheek. I chuckled, seeing him blush.

"So cute!" I mocked. Roxas mumbled an insult under his breath.

"Don't tease them, Sora!" Kairi lifted me by the arm, finally having caught her breath. "So did you remind me about your cousins out of your overwhelming concern for them? I find that hard to believe."

"We were wondering if we could pick them up for you." Roxas explained.

Kairi thought for a moment. "That'd be nice, but I'm getting paid to do this job. But you _are_ welcome to tag along. There'll be enough seats left."

"I guess that will work. Just to get away from everyone for a while."

"You mean to say you didn't get enough alone time on your walk?" I raised a brow. Surely that whole time they did _something_ that they didn't want others to see.

"Well, we actually found a few people trying to spy on us. Needless to say, they were caught, apprehended, and disposed of." Roxas wiped imaginary dust off his shoulder. I didn't ask any more questions.

"Well, come on. We better go tell Riku that he doesn't have to pull his little stunt now. You guys just _had_ to ruin it, huh?" Kairi started walking off back to the table. I walked by Roxas and Naminé, who were laughing at Kairi's antics.

"If you told us, then we would have left it alone!" Roxas shouted back.

"You were already gone on your romantic walk! Like hell I'd interrupt that!"

We all chuckled at that. She had a point there.

"She's making it so incredibly obvious that she feels like the third wheel." I walked backwards, shooting a look at Naminé.

"She'll get over it. Besides, we'll be double dating soon before long." She giggled. Roxas smirked.

What the heck was that all about?

* * *

Kairi, after breaking the news to Riku about sounding the alarm, left to dry off and put on dry clothing. Riku was more than relieved to hear that he didn't have to compromise his manliness. Jokingly, of course.

"So did you enjoy your swim with Kairi?" he asked, taking the seat right next to me and grabbing a whole bag of chips. Noticing that he was eating, I grabbed some food for myself. Yum, cheeseburgers.

"As a matter of fact, I did. The most fun I've had in a while. And what were you doing the whole time?" I changed the subject. I could sense that it was heading towards embarrassment.

"I was discussing tonight's plans with Hayner and Ven. They're in." he spoke in the vague language. I suddenly became interested. This was something we had to keep secret from the rest of the guys in the group.

All-night gaming party.

That's right. Be jealous.

Yes, only a select few got the invite to join the online, all-night party. Riku and I have been planning this since… well, this morning. But that's not the point.

We were going to team up, stay up all night if we have to, to beat the fifty-wave long battle. With five people.

"Wait a second. If it's Hayner and Ven, plus you and me, who's the fifth man?" I asked. I made sure to act casual. I could feel eyes on me.

Riku smirked. "It was going to be Roxas, but he's now… out of consideration. He's protected under the rights of Man Law."

I nodded. Of course. A man is allowed to leave his fellow men with his woman _if and only if_ she was deemed attractive enough by said fellow men he was leaving.

"Was it unanimous?"

"If you voted aye, then yes. I assumed you would."

"You assumed correctly."

"I know." Fist bump. "Anyway, you don't have to worry about the fifth person. That's covered. I already spoke with... this person."

"Really? Who is it?" Curiosity got the best of me.

"It's a secret. But don't worry, you won't be disappointed. I invited someone who stands among the best of us. We'll definitely beat the game tonight."

I trusted his judgment. "Good to hear. Now, where's Hayner and Ven…" I looked around the table, and for the first time, I realized why it was so quiet. And here I thought people were trying to listen in! There were very few people around; Ven and Aqua were taking a nap under the tree (good idea); Demyx, Xion, and Axel were laughing about something Demyx just said; Pence and Olette were going through the pictures on the camera, and Paine was listening to music at the end of another table. "Riku, where'd everyone go?"

"You mean you don't know?" Well obviously. I shook my head. "They all followed after Roxas and Naminé. They've been gone for a while. I have a feeling something bad happened to them."

"You too?" I shuddered when I remembered Roxas's words. Scary.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Riku waved it off.

I nodded. What could've possibly happened?

"So what have you been up to all this time?"

"You mean while you were off working the magic on Kairi?" he snickered. I scratched the back of my head and looked away. He will not see me defeated.

"No, while Kairi and I were swimming. I understand if you don't want to tell me."

"I have nothing to hide. Though I'm sure you wouldn't be so keen on sharing your conversation with Kairi." I sent him a warning glance, which he quickly dismissed with a laugh. Cocky. "I'm kidding. You two have become so close in such a short amount of time. You're allowed to keep your secrets." A peculiar smile was on his face, and I had to wonder what he was thinking at that moment. I knew that somewhere deep inside him, he still liked Kairi. A small part of him still wanted her to be his.

I felt terrible and defensive at the same time. Was it wrong? Wrong that I felt terrible for rooting him out of his place? I didn't think I was replacing him as Kairi's best guy friend, but others have communicated otherwise. Was I really becoming more important than Riku? And then that defensive feeling would surface. How was it wrong? That strange feeling within me sneered and scoffed, reminding me that all was fair in love.

I didn't want to affect a relationship though. After all, I wouldn't be here for very long. And Kairi needed somebody around, somebody to go to at a moment's notice. I couldn't be that person. Was it right for me to do any of this? Should I hit the brakes before I do more damage? Because if I do become important to Kairi, something that would make me unbelievably happy despite the circumstance, was it okay? If I left— no, when I leave, will it be all right?

"Riku…"

Sora." His voice, at the moment much stronger than mine, cut through my pending question. "If it helps at all, just know that I'm rooting for you."

My breath was caught in my throat. His knowing eyes were impossible to read, besides the implication that he knew _exactly_ how I was feeling. "But…"

"Sora, she's happy." He chuckled, leaning back onto the table. "Trust me. I'd know."

I sighed. "Okay…"

"That's enough. You can't hide anything from me, so you should quit trying."

"I know! It's like you're reading my mind or something!" I said exasperatedly. He laughed, and I along with him. I managed to break the building tension with a stupid, unnecessary statement.

"Really, you're just too easy to predict, is all. Not to mention you wear your emotions on your sleeve. You might as well walk around with a sign."

"Hey! I do not!" I, in fact, pride myself in my ability to hide my true feelings! Comes with the job of being a ninja.

"If you say so." Riku chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe being your best friend helps."

I gulped down my drink to hide my huge smile. Life wouldn't be the same without Riku around.

"Maybe." Yeah. Just maybe.

* * *

I don't remember how or when I did, but I fell asleep under one of the nearby trees. What I do remember was Riku kicking me…

What the?

"Huh?! What's going on?" I was startled awake, covering my eyes in an effort to see Riku standing over me.

"You've been asleep for an hour already. I've been going from group to group, talking with everyone, and no one is entertaining enough."

"Is that it?" I complained. Awoken from my nap because of _that_?

"Well, duh. Kicking you has been the most fun I've had since you went to take a nap."

"When did I fall asleep anyway?"

He shook his head, his silver hair moving in like manner. "Seriously. Taking a nap must be so ingrained in your system that your brain shuts down and your body acts on instinct."

"Ugh, don't be jealous." I sat up and stretched. Man, was that refreshing! "Has Kairi come back yet?"

He snorted. "And apparently the thought of Kairi has taken residence in the little space you have to offer in that brain of yours."

I blushed, covering my face. I pretended to block the sun from my eyes. "Shut up. Most if it is for big, sophisticated vocabulary words."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Like lucrative. And fornication. Oh, and intrepid." I stopped, laughing at how stupid I sounded. So maybe I'm not a genius.

He laughed too, somehow catching onto my joke. "Yeah, you're going to need to work on that vocab then, huh?" he held his hand out, pulling me up when I took it. "And fornication? When on this freaking planet will you need to use that word?"

We both burst out laughing.

I had no idea how to answer that. Nor did I remember why and where I learned the word.

"Don't ask." I looked around the area, and sure enough, it was the same group of people. Aqua and Ven seemed to be missing though. "Riku, where did…?"

"They went down to swim." He answered simply. "I have yet to try that. Is the water nice?"

"Perfect, actually." I returned to the table, grabbing a handful of chips. So Kairi hadn't returned yet… not that I was waiting or disappointed or anything. Riku was here, after all. I poured myself a drink, careful not to let any of it fizz over the brim. Turning around, I made my way towards Xion and Riku.

Those two seemed to get along as well as Roxas and Xion did.

"Hey there, Sora! Enjoy your nap?" Xion asked, turning her body to face me.

"Yeah. I wish I could remember how I fell asleep in the first place, but oh well. It was refreshing, as always."

"That's good to hear! Anyway, Riku and I were having an intellectual discourse. You up for the mind-jog?"

I inwardly cringed. Great. "Uh, sure. What are we talking about now?"

"So let's say you have a pool, and—"

"How big is it? Is it deep?" I interrupted. What? I didn't want to miss any details!

"Sora, shut up. Not relevant. Anyway, you have a pool. But you don't fill it with water. You fill it with the most unpleasant thing you can think of."

"Okay…" I nodded. Xion and Riku seemed to have expectant looks on their faces. "Well? What?"

"What's in your pool?" They asked simultaneously.

Was this a trick question? Intellectual conversation my ass. "Er, peanut butter?" They instantly started laughing, brushing it off as stupid and not all that bad. "Hey! I beg to differ! Jumping in a pool of peanut butter would be disgusting! Plus, how would you escape that?"

Xion nodded slightly, but rolled her eyes. "I think jumping into a pool of hypodermic needles would be a lot worse."

I blinked. "Whoa. Yeah, you're right."

"Or jumping into a pool of dead babies." Riku added with a shudder.

"Riku!" Xion gagged in disgust. "That's terrible!"

"But he has a point!" I defended. Surely jumping into a pool of dead babies would be very unpleasant.

"Thank you, Sora. I for one think I win this battle."

"Wait a second! I get a redo! I thought you guys were asking me a trick question!" I interjected quickly.

Xion was quick to agree, most likely because she didn't want to admit defeat. "Fine. We all get a redo. We'll have our choices, then defend them, and then come to a consensus as to who had the best one. The one with the most wins is the obvious, clear, and undisputed intellectual." We all laughed, agreeing with the terms and strange title. "Now, we'll play rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes when. Winner gets to pick their time. The next winner gets to pick after, and the loser obviously gets the leftover."

"Fine with me. Do we do this after every round?"

"Of course. Now, ready?"

"Rock, paper, scissors!" We all chanted, throwing out our weapons. I, of course, won.

"Ha! I go last!" I declared triumphantly. Xion won the next one, choosing to go second. Needless to say, Riku complained about how he already won; he was promptly ignored.

We continued our game for at least thirty minutes. Things actually got heated when we couldn't decide between the two better ones. Oftentimes I'd be squaring off against Riku or Xion in a heated debate for the loser's vote.

Who knew intellectual conversations could be so fun?

And Xion was actually a really cool person to talk to. She was extremely fun when you got to know her, and it was easy to become comfortable as well. We looked like best friends ten minutes into the discussion; it was no wonder that Roxas and Riku got along with her.

Our game was interrupted (I was about to throw out a pool filled with fat, taken from people who get plastic surgery) when Axel and Demyx came running back to the table. They stopped right before us (and I assumed only because Xion was with us), falling to their knees, panting. Demyx was the first to speak.

"Xion! It's Roxas and Naminé…" he said urgently in between breaths.

Axel was beside him, screaming in lament, "My hopes and dreams for the kid have been_ crushed! _Crushed, I tell you!"

"Whoa, easy guys!" Xion looked a little irritated, but still looked concerned. My eyes met Riku's, exchanging a quick nod of anxiousness.

Demyx continued, "Axel and I just got back from the store, and we saw Roxas and Naminé. It seems that all this time, they've been hiding a terrible secret…"

"Guys, just tell me what's going on!" Xion stood, impatience lacing her voice.

"Roxas and Naminé… it must've been a while ago because…"

"Demyx…" Xion warned.

"Okay!" Demyx yelled. "Roxas and Naminé… they've… they've… _defecated!"_ Demyx finished in a horrified whisper.

Silence.

And then, an _explosion_ of laughter.

Axel fell on his behind when he burst out laughing, cackling like a maniac. Riku threw his head back in a roar of laughter, clutching his sides. I could barely see Xion through my teary eyes; she appeared to be taken by complete surprise. She was, however, fighting hard to keep herself under control.

"Demyx, what the hell are you talking about?" a laugh escaped as she asked her question, and a smile betrayed the serious tone she was obviously trying to maintain.

"Huh? Like I said, they defecated. _Together._" All of us laughed again; I toppled over in pain when drool fell from Axel's mouth.

Riku didn't seem any better, saying, 'no more, no more, it hurts already!'

I could not stop laughing!

"I'm glad to see that everyone's so happy and all, but do you mind giving me a quick update on what just happened?" Kairi's voice suddenly reached my ears, and I weakly lifted my head, still laughing, to see her.

Demyx gasped in terror. "Gah! It's them, Xion! It's their kids! Roxas and Namine's _children!_"

Oh gosh. Help me. I wanted to die a painless death. Death by pain caused by laughter was _not _the way I wanted to go.

"Demyx, these are the kids I'm babysitting! They're Roxas's cousins." Kairi explained, a little annoyed.

Xion broke out into a fit of giggles. "Demyx, what were you hoping to tell us by saying that Roxas and Naminé defecated?"

"Why do you keep asking that? You mean that's not _baby-making_ outside marriage?" Demyx asked incredulously. Axel started choking and coughing in between his laughs.

"Demyx, how do you mix defecation with fornication?" Xion asked with the most belittling tone I have ever heard.

I looked at Riku. Our eyes met.

He started gasping loudly for air, sounding like a freaking animal.

The pain in my abdomen intensified. It felt like I was getting stabbed with a sharp object over and over again. It was _over nine thousand _at this point. Well, I didn't want to go like this, but the pain… goodbye, cruel, cruel world of irony!

"Yeah, I totally missed something…" Kairi waved her hand in the hair, brushing off our mad laughing fit. By this point I was rolling in my grave (laughing, mind you), Axel looked as if he was recovering from a seizure with drool and foam and whatnot coming from his mouth; Xion was giggling like a rabid chipmunk; Riku was sputtering, crying, and wheezing for air in between hysteric laughter, and Demyx was sitting with his legs crossed, obviously peeved, insulted, and sour.

The laughing continued for at least five more minutes. All the while, Kairi watched the kids eat their ice cream, pretending as if our little happy group didn't exist.

It was not like we _wanted_ to keep laughing. It was just that every time we looked at each other, or at Demyx, the vicious cycle would start all over again.

When things finally calmed down, I managed to drag myself to the same bench as Kairi. She greeted me with a smirk on her lips. "Oh? Are you finally done?"

I coughed. "Er, yeah." Deep breaths now. "I think so. Sorry about that."

"Don't apologize for nothing. Apparently I was left out of a really good joke though, but I won't pry." I watched her as she wrapped her lips around the straw of her shake. After a contented sigh, she spoke again, "So what did you do while we were away? Anything cool?"

"I actually fell asleep!" I laughed dumbly, linking my fingers behind my head. She shook her head, fighting a smile. I continued, "Riku woke me up because everyone else was being boring… oh, speaking of everyone else…"

She interrupted me, "Yeah. Roxas and Naminé told me that they were left behind. Neither of them would answer what they meant by that though."

"So they're still somewhere on this beach?"

"Apparently." She laughed, turning her attention to the kids. She quickly wiped Vaan's chin before letting him return to his ice cream. "Hey, do you want some of my shake?"

I blinked in surprise. She was asking _me?_ "Er, I guess… what flavor?"

She held the cup out, "Was that a real question? It's strawberry." I took it out of her hands and took a conservative sip, noticing that she was watching me the whole time. "Sora, seriously. It's a large. I won't be able to finish anyway. You might as well enjoy it!"

Oh, I enjoyed it all right. And it wasn't because it was strawberry-flavored.

"Roxas! You're back! And Naminé, you're not pregnant!" Axel suddenly exclaimed in joy. Our attention was directed to the newly arrived couple. Both seemed to be taken aback by Axel's comments; well, Roxas looked disgusted, and Naminé's face resembled something of shock.

Xion took the liberty to smack Axel across the face. "You jerk! Don't say such insensitive things!"

Roxas and Naminé joined us at the table, sitting on the opposite bench. They made no effort to acknowledge Axel's presence.

"Jeez, how long is this going to go on? I'm sick of the comments." Okay, so they made no effort to acknowledge him _publicly._

Kairi was the one to answer, though her joke was only received well by her best friend. "Oh, it should stop any day now. I'd say it'll last as long as it took you to ask Naminé out!"

Roxas, grumbled, stuffing a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

"Hey, what flavor is that?" I motioned with the cup in my hand. I thought I saw Naminé sneak a glance at Kairi.

"This?" Roxas ate yet another helping. "It's cookie dough."

Kairi snorted. "Go figure, right?"

"Kairi!" Naminé's face suddenly became red. Okay, now _I_ was the one feeling like I was left out of a joke.

"What? It's true!" Kairi laughed at their private joke and took her milkshake back, taking a quick sip.

"There they are!" A shrill scream pierced the air. The owner (who was revealed to be Selphie after we turned to acknowledge her) was panting in anger. "They came back! And they've probably _been_ back!"

"Selphie, no more yelling. I don't think I have the energy." Tidus piped up behind her.

The whole group of missing kids finally returned.

"Where the heck were you guys?" Riku asked as they walked tiredly around the picnic area.

"We were outsmarted. Well, we lost our targets." Rikku admitted, sighing as she dropped onto a bench. "I'm spent! I don't think I've ever walked that far before."

"I blame Wakka. He was so _convinced_ that they went further down the beach. I _told_ you all it was impossible! No romantic walk goes that far!" Hayner growled, collapsing next to his two amused friends.

"How did you two get back so quickly anyway?" Yuna asked with a wipe of her brow. "I can't believe we lost you. We never lose our targets."

"It helped that we noticed you. Bringing a big group of people was such a terrible idea. It's hard to miss a crowd of like six or seven people tailing you for over half a mile." Roxas had a victorious grin on his face, obviously pleased with the results.

Yuna groaned. "That's the last time I take Tidus along then!" she ignored him when he started complaining on how it was not his fault. "That's also the last time I'll ever be caught. Two mistakes in the same day! I'm losing my touch." She walked off, satisfied with the result of her interview.

"What the heck did you do to them?" I asked. I wasn't going to lie: I was thoroughly impressed that he managed to lose a tail of six or seven pairs of eyes.

"We just tricked them into walking a lot more than they had to. It actually worked better than I thought. We went to one of the bathrooms, Naminé waited outside. They didn't dare to come into her direct eyesight, so that was our chance to lose 'em. It was nice and crowded, and we made sure to feint away from our starting point. They fell for it."

"It was also kind of fun to watch them try and find us. We were behind them the whole time." Naminé casually added.

I looked at Kairi. She returned the glance with equal seriousness.

On our next spying mission, we would have to be a lot more cautious.

"Well, we're gonna go and swim now. Do you guys want to come along?"

I stood up, Kairi following suit. "Yeah, I'm up for it. Vaan, Penny, let's go down to the beach and dig a hole to Agrabah!"

Their eyes lit up immediately. "You can do that?!" Penny asked excitedly.

"Well, Sora can. Right?" she looked at me with a mirthful smile. The kids' eyes were silently pleading, waiting for my answer.

I was going to say it. And not because it was for Kairi. I was going to do it for the kids. Yes, the kids wanted to dig a hole. All in the name of a child's precious smile.

I nodded to all of them. "Of course I can! Let's get started right away!"

* * *

Words of advice: never dig a hole deep enough to reach your shoulders. A huge group of teenagers, the girl you like, two small children, and your freakishly strong best friend will bury you.

Damn right I felt betrayed! All our hard work was destroyed when the kids suddenly decided to chant "Bury Sora!" And everyone else, like the little sheep they were, followed suit.

Punks.

"I especially liked how everyone decided to gang up on you at _exactly_ the right moment and bury you in place." Kairi laughed, closing the trunk. She leaned on her car, her arms crossed and a dazzling smile on her face.

"Really? I thought the best part was when Riku slammed the undersized lifesaver," (that wouldn't help anyone mind you; it was much too small) "over my head so I couldn't move or climb out." Sarcasm was my only weapon left after they stripped me of my _pride._

"You should've seen it coming. And before you ask, yes, it was most certainly worth destroying our hard work to bury you."

"But we were going to reach Agrabah!" I playfully whined. They found the joke funny, but quickly waved it off.

"And we helped you out too. We're your friends!" Riku slapped my back and pulled back before I could get a whack at him.

"_After_ you took pictures, laughed, and pretended _to leave!_" I shot back. "And you guys _actually left for five freaking minutes!"_

"You know, what's even more impressive is that we all made that convincing." Kairi said thoughtfully. I rolled my eyes at the redhead. "Oh, don't act like you're not impressed."

"I'm not." I replied curtly. I fought hard to keep the smile from surfacing. Needless to say, I failed.

"Of course you aren't. Come on now, we gotta help everyone pack up." Riku nodded his head in the beach's direction. We nodded in agreement and followed him up.

The sun was finally setting. It seemed to hover above the point where the sky and sea met, rivaling the famous sunsets of Twilight Town. I found it more spectacular; it was a fresh sight, much unlike the sunsets I had become accustomed to.

Everyone was almost done packing when we arrived, with only the food left to put away. It probably would've been done already if the guys weren't gambling over who got to take home the leftovers. And of course, it was over three bags of chips, two hamburgers, and a can of soda. Dinner left little to clean up.

The combined effort saw that our packing was finished within five minutes. We all walked toward the parking lot together: a huge band of teenagers, chatting and obnoxiously taking up the whole road on the way to their cars. We quickly parted, making promises to meet again next week. Kairi made sure to give everyone a personal salutation.

I really liked this group. It really was just a huge collection of the most diverse personalities I'd ever encountered.

"So what're you gonna do when we get back to the house?" Kairi asked as she started the engine.

"First I'm going to shower. I think I'll play some video games after that. Riku asked some of the guys to play with us tonight. It'll all be online, of course." I quickly added.

"Sora, I'm not going to bite your head off if you want to invite a few friends over. Apparently that's not my decision, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. Just saying."

For most of the ride, we simply listened to the radio and to whatever the kids were talking about. It had been an interesting day at camp for them; tomorrow would be one of their fun, lesson-less days as well.

We arrived just before the sky turned dark. Kairi led the kids inside, leaving me (and I volunteered) to take everything down from the car. It wasn't much anyway.

What? Is it that unbelievable that it was completely my decision and that Kairi's asking had nothing to do with it?

Fine, then don't.

As I made my way to the basement, I was horrified to find that Riku's game system sat right on the table. Oh no. Not game night.

I frantically started a text message to Riku, sending it as soon as I was done. He replied quickly, saying something along the lines of being at Roxas and Ven's house. Apparently they had two. And with Roxas out of the way, one was vacated for my co-planner.

This was one of those moments were you thank someone for Roxas's and Ven's sharing problems. It truly was convenient.

I made my way downstairs, grabbing a clean set of clothes. I'd call Riku as soon as I was done; he had yet to fill me in on that fifth player.

* * *

I ran a hand through my damp hair and watched as the marshmallow spun round and round, ensnared in the whirlpool that was my hot chocolate. I kind of felt bad for taking out my frustration on the white puff ball, but I soon realized I'd be eating it anyway.

Riku still refused to tell me anything about the fifth player. And it seems that I was the only one left out on it too; Ven was snickering in the background the whole time.

Fine. I was going to find out eventually anyway.

"Stir hard enough, and I think you'll actually shatter the mug." I whipped around to see Kairi standing at the doorway, obviously amused with my actions. She looked awfully confident in a t-shirt and shorts.

Ignoring the weird feeling of approval I suddenly became aware of, I replied, "Oh, I was just… trying to drown the marshmallow!" I tucked my hands behind my head after the casual lie.

"That's rather sadistic of some as cheerful as you." She pulled out a chair, the same chair that only a few nights ago had a dangerous tennis racket resting right beside it.

"It's nothing, really." I picked up another mug and walked to the table. "I uh, made you one too. I didn't know whether or not you were going to come down, so I would've brought it to you and… yeah." I finished lamely. Don't be an idiot, Sora! Why did you even tell her that?! What a pathetic attempt at conversation.

"Aww, thank you! You really didn't have to." She smiled brightly before taking a sip. "You know, I'm always cautious when I drink something hot for fear of burning myself, but you always seem to get the perfect temperature."

I beamed at the compliment. "Really, it's just the microwave. I've perfected the art." I joked with a shrug. Much to my relief, she giggled cutely. "I'm not too bad of a real cook either. But microwaving is my specialty."

"If a teenager or anyone our age could cook, I'd always bet my munny that it'd be with a microwave." She affirmed. A comfortable silence engulfed the room. We merely sat for a few minutes, enjoying the warm drinks, before she started again, "And speaking about bets…"

"Don't tell me you lost a bet and now lost your whole babysitting paycheck." I said in jest.

She blinked in surprise before grinning. "Quite the opposite actually. In fact, I pretty much made half my paycheck off this."

"This would be?" I fished.

"So you don't mind me telling you this random information? Sorry, but ever since I won, I've been _itching_ to tell someone." I shook my head, allowing her to continue. "Good. So Roxas and Naminé are finally dating."

Really? I didn't catch that part! Totally slipped my attention. "Okay, so when do you tell me something I don't know?"

"And most of us, the people from the group, actually started a betting pool." She cringed when I raised a brow. "Okay, I know that's kinda mean, and it did start off as a joke—"

"Kairi." I crossed my arms, feigning disapproval. She looked rather nervous before I cracked a smile "Why wasn't I let in on this?"

"Obviously because I didn't want to share the spoils." She replied quickly. She rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you actually got me there."

"Revenge is sweet." I downed the rest of my hot chocolate, sighing loudly as I put the mug back down. "So what were the terms you won with?"

"Roxas asking Naminé out _this_ summer. Everyone else thought it wouldn't happen. I actually had the lesser chance of winning. If it didn't happen this particular summer, I would've lost."

"Quite the gamble."

"It paid off in the end." Her eyes sparkled, making me wonder just how much she really won. "Well, I got stuff to do, and then I'll go to sleep after. You gonna be up for a while?"

"Yup. I'll take that for you." She mumbled a thank you and stood up. "Good night, Kairi." I quickly said.

She turned to smile at me one last time. "G'night, Sora. I'll see you in the morning."

I let out a long sigh when I heard her going up the stairs. It was weird. Not the sound that she made when she went up the stairs, but the things I felt when she left. She was going on the second floor of the house. Why did that affect me so much? Why did it make me miss her presence? She was nearby anyway. Why did I feel those pangs inside when all she did was turn around?

The mug slipped out of my soapy hands, making be realize how fast and how hard I was scrubbing at it. I carefully picked it up and rinsed it after making sure it was all in one piece. I shook my hands and flicked my fingers before finding a towel. With that, I hit the lights in the kitchen and made my way back to the basement.

I had to get the thoughts of Kairi out of my head. There was absolutely no reason to feel that way when she was just a walk up the stairs away.

* * *

"Seriously guys, which place?"

"Your mom's." Ven answered with a snicker, earning a laugh from Riku. I sat in a comfortable bean bag (in front of the _amazingly huge_ flat screen television Tifa bought) and laughed.

"Let's go to the place with two houses. We can use them as bases when things get ugly." I answered with a shake of my head. Riku and Ven were being obnoxious. I wasn't complaining though; it was all directed at Hayner.

And it was quite hilarious.

Oh, and I forgot to mention: I _still_ don't know who the fifth player is.

"Finally. Thanks Sora."

"For what?"

"For not dry humping his mom." Riku choked as he tried to hold back his laughter. My lip curled, and I bit down hard to keep myself from laughing. I kept my finger next to the mute button just in case I lost it.

"For answering my question without being a _douche_."

We chatted for a bit in the game lobby as we waited for the mystery teammate. I opted to stay out of the trash-talk fight going on (it was all a joke, I assure you) and just spaced out for a while. My mind drifted to different things, landing on the time we would be finished.

Which, I realized, was going to keep me up later than I had to.

"Hey Riku, Ven… where's that fifth man? I want to play sometime tonight, you know." I apparently interrupted one of Hayner's comebacks. Oh well.

"Dude, relax. It won't be long now. In fact, I think—"

"Yup. Happy, Sora? Now you can shut up about staying up late. Pussy bitch." Ven remarked snidely. I rolled my eyes when I heard Hayner and Riku sniggering.

Sometimes I wonder why I'm friends with them.

I quickly brushed it off, picking up my controller. "Great! Let's get started. Hey you, whoever the late one is—"

The newly arrived player interrupted me midsentence. My eyes widened in surprise when I heard a familiar voice on the other end. "Jeez, Sora. Is that any way to greet one of your teammates?"

Holy crap.

* * *

RE: I want to acknowledge the inspiration that the following people provided: **dearlybelovedangel, Tinaalovesmints, Brown Eyed Sage, kairi koaru, ItzStorytime, Princess of blah blah blah, kingdommad, Black-Dax, Dynasty 021, jenyflo5483**, **hidden x charade, Ocean Starfly, mookie muffin, HideYourFeathers, KHgatomon3444, Rebel-Chan, True-Light-San, mattjesse, Aldergrace, Blood Seraph, Lebrezie**, **SecretAgent99, AliceexSora, Yellow Gummybear, SilverClock, LadyAxel22, Kairi Nanami, JazzBox, **and **young gun kid**. Thank you so much for your compliments, critiques, corrections [SilverClock **:-D**], criticisms, flames, and for making me laugh and smile.

I'd also like to thank those who placed M&M on their **favorites **or **alerts** list.

Thanks for everything, guys. Take care, and I'll see you around!


	12. Sweeter than Sweet

Chapter 12: Sweeter than Sweet

Kairi was the closest thing to my ideal girl. She was breathtakingly beautiful, a lovely kind of funny, a cute kind of athletic, and an attractive kind of intelligent. She really was the first girl to ever mark off every quality so far on the _Ideal Girl_ List.

She checked off one more tonight.

You see, if you were to go to the top five qualities, the _turn-ons_, you would find there: a girl who plays video games.

"Kairi?" I choked in surprise. Her giggle rang through the headset.

"The one and only!" she laughed.

Kairi, my ideal girl, was playing video games.

Do you know what's even more attractive than a girl who plays video games?

A hot girl that plays video games. And Kairi was definitely classified under that category.

I think I'm in love.

"But how…?"

"You really can't connect the dots?" Ven asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Riku didn't 'accidentally leave' anything."

Oh. _Ooooooh_. I get it now.

"So you're using Riku's?" I sat up excitedly, readjusting my headset. I couldn't believe it. Kairi was really the fifth player. _Kairi._

_"_Yup! Riku called me while you were taking a nap. A spontaneous plan, but hey. I'm a spontaneous person!"

"Okay, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Kairi has Riku's this and Sora didn't know that and blah blah blah." Hayner let out an agitated sigh. "Can we start? Not ready? Too bad." A timer flashed on screen, indicating that the match was starting.

"Jeez. Someone's cranky today." Kairi teased.

"He's just mad that he's not getting laid tonight." I remarked.

"Jealous? I think so." Ven chuckled.

"Dude, Roxas is totally getting some in the room over!"

"Riku!" Kairi quickly interjected. Now he's in trouble. "They're not having sex!"

"Shouldn't have said that…" Though nobody saw, I was shaking my head.

"Because if they were, you'd hear them! They're definitely screamers." Kairi added. Riku and Ven burst out laughing.

Did Kairi actually just say that?

Hayner, who seemed to be the only one paying attention to the game, suddenly spoke. "Okay guys, it's starting!"

"Roxas and Naminé's honeymoon?" Ven quipped.

"The match, Ven. By the way, first place gets to have sex with Kairi!" Riku announced.

Whoa. Wait. "What the _fuck_, guys?"

"Sora, it's not going to be handed to you. You gotta play to win!" Ven said casually. Oh yeah, because we didn't just say anything totally offensive and inappropriate about Kairi! "Though, that prize doesn't give me any incentive at all. No offense Kairi."

"None taken!" Kairi said cheerily. My mouth dropped open. This wasn't the real Kairi. It couldn't be.

"Okay, what the hell is going on? Are you guys just messing with me or something? Why are you talking about Kairi like this?"

"Oh no, he's going all 'knight in shining armor' on us…" Hayner groaned.

"Sora, it's all right. I've played with these guys tons of times. You boys deserve a chance to be obnoxious. Don't let the presence of a girl ruin that."

"But…"

"Really Sora. It's fine. They always say these kinds of things."

I was finally beginning to understand. "Oh. So… you mean you guys are joking?"

Riku snorted. "Of course not. Winner really does get to have sex with Kairi."

Or maybe I wasn't. "What the hell, Riku!" I thought he actually cared about her!

"Sora, please. Just relax." The sound of her voice calmed me down a little. "Besides, look at your screen. No way am I losing to you punks!"

I followed her directions and saw that the first round was already finished, with Kairi's name at the top of the board. When did it even _start?_

"What the…?"

"Zero kills, Sora?! You'll never get laid!" Hayner sniggered into the microphone. If he was next to me, I'd punch him. Hard.

Ven spoke thoughtfully, bringing me away from my murderous thoughts. "Man, I can already tell this is gonna be a fun night. Long, but kick-ass."

"Not as good as your brother's!" Kairi sang. We all got a laugh out of that one.

This is gonna take some getting used to.

* * *

We flew through the first few rounds as they posed no challenge whatsoever. All the while, we talked about random topics, the strange sounds in the night coming from the room adjacent to Riku's (While no sounds were actually produced, it was a running joke), and Kairi really took the jokes in stride. Sometimes I feared that they were getting a bit too offensive, but it never seemed to bother her.

Speaking of Kairi, she was… good. She was really _really good._ I remember Riku telling me that he'd invite one of the best, but I didn't think it'd be Kairi. Once again, she took me by surprise.

There was something oddly attractive about a girl who could perform a no-scope headshot on a moving target from across the map.

There was also something extremely hilarious about Kairi using her character to teabag the headless cadavers of her slain enemies.

"Yeah! You like that, don't ya?!" Kairi taunted amidst maniacal laughter.

Just look at her. I have to say it again.

I'm in love.

Kidding.

"Kairi, how did you get so good at this game?" My curiosity simply had to be satiated. I was amazed that she consistently appeared on top of the board with the most points. I was in second place, just _barely_ above Ven in kills.

And no. It's not because I wanted to have sex with Kairi. I was just really good. The guys, of course, didn't believe me.

"It's the only one I play." She answered. "And this is the only mode I play too. I'm not that great against actual people."

"Which is why she never agrees to the sex bet when we do battles like that."

"Shut up, Hayner." Her tone was more annoyed than angry. "Anyway, Riku got me into this. In fact, I know more about video games than how to play them. But this is the only one I ever really got into, you know?"

"Ah…" Okay, so maybe she isn't a real gamer, but she still hit all the top five qualities of my ideal girl.

"Guys, split up into two teams. Ven and I will stay with Hayner because he's sucking balls. Sora and Kairi should take the second base." Riku ordered the team.

"Dude, I'm _texting_ people. It's distracting." Hayner defended. "Would you rather I pause the game?"

"We'd rather you play, actually. In case you haven't noticed, we haven't even reached the halfway mark yet." Kairi added as the sound of a head exploding popped through the air.

"It's probably Olette." Riku sighed.

"It's Pence. Why do you have to assume I'm sending love messages to Olette?"

"Well we didn't assume _that_ much, but now we know that you're lying!" Kairi's joke made everyone, save Hayner, break out into a fit of laughter. The antagonized blond decided to turn his headset off, as he remained silent for the rest of the round. Well, just because he couldn't hear us didn't mean we were going to stop teasing him.

It was like that for the next few rounds: we'd be in our teams, someone would die from time to time, or Kairi would steal the last kill from me. And the jokes were just _endless._ One minute we'd be making fun of Hayner, then they'd turn on me and say that the only reason why I was doing so well was because I wanted to get in Kairi's pants (obviously not true!), and then the conversation would somehow find a way back to Roxas and Naminé. They were the most popular subject of the night.

"I swear I heard the bed squeaking. No joke guys. No joke." Riku reported in a harsh whisper.

"Well if you needed any more indication that Roxas has no experience whatsoever, you got it." Hayner sniggered at his own comment.

Nobody spoke until Kairi killed a tough enemy, curb-stomping its poor head into bits. "Don't be mean, Hayner. And they're not doing anything besides trading a few kisses."

"They're making out?!" I gagged in disgust at the thought. Unnecessary.

Riku, still unconvinced, held fast to his belief. "I'm pretty sure the two will walk out of the room tomorrow morning and be forever changed."

"That's a disgusting thought, man." Ven quipped quietly. Another round had finished.

"Guys, shut up." Kairi sounded pissed now. I was sure that the others felt it too: the conversation went dead silent. "Now, I won't say this again. They're not having sex."

"You sound so sure." The words slipped out of my mouth before I even knew what I was saying. Oh no.

I think I just—

"I am. See, when feelings have been caged up that long, they come out wildly. That bed wouldn't be squeaking, Riku. You'd be hearing it slam against the wall like an overloaded washing machine!"

"Ugh, gross!" Ven stated in disgust. On the other hand, everyone else found the comment hilarious. "How is that funny?! Do you think I _enjoy_ seeing my brother and a friend I've known since birth go at it like there's no tomorrow?" The question only served to fuel our laughter, a chorus of low hums with an effeminate ring.

"Yeah, sorry about that. It was such an opportune moment, and I wasn't going to pass it up!" Kairi's half-hearted apology came through a fit of giggles. I had to wonder how she did it: being so feminine, yet able to blend herself in a group full of obnoxious guys.

I had the honor of killing the last enemy of the round, stretching as I watched his body explode into bits and pieces. "Hey, look who got first place now!"

"Try to show some restraint, Sora."

"Yeah, for real dude. We know you want to have your way with her, but don't be so obvious about it…" the double team by Riku and Hayner had me turning a redder shade.

"Aww, leave Sora alone! He's just the only one trying, that's all."

Finally, someone on my side. Even better, it just happened to be Kairi.

"Thanks for realizing, Kai—"

"Trying to get into my freaking pants, you perv!" she interrupted with a harsh accusation. Cue the roars of laughter.

"Kairi!" I half-whined, half-yelled in exasperation. Why was everyone picking on _me?!_ "Ugh, you guys suck…"

"Man, Sora's easily the best person to make fun of!"

"He's so desperate…"

"Disgusting…"

"All right already! Don't you think that's enough, guys?" First Ven has to turn everyone against me, stabbing me in the back; then Riku pours salt on the wound, with Kairi to rub it in after. Why was everyone so mean…

"Yeah guys, leave him alone already." Hayner drawled tiredly. "I don't know about you guys, but I need a break. We're halfway through, so I deem this moment to be… pee break and whatever else you need to do."

"Yeah, way ahead of you, dude." Riku's claim was followed by a strange sound. It kinda sounded like he was…

"Are you actually peeing?" Kairi asked in disgust. My best friend laughed at her shock.

"Okay, I really had to go, and I was banking on the fact that you wouldn't be able to hear me."

"Well then stop peeing so loudly!" Kairi reprimanded. "It's so awkward when you have to hear that."

"Well, whatever. I'm done now." Kairi mumbled something about washing hands. "How can I pee… not loudly?" Riku pondered. Ven was quick to reply.

"Easy. You just aim for the sides of the toilet bowl."

"Is this conversation really happening?" Kairi groaned and asked no one in particular.

Amidst Ven's and Riku's discussion on strategic peeing, I answered, "Yeah, it is."

"I like to spell my name on the sides of the bowl, you know? It's never just one place. And it's like a race against yourself because you have to hit all the places before you run out of ammo."

"You put way too much thought into peeing, Ven." Kairi interrupted.

"It's not normal. Just my two cents." I quickly interjected. I personally didn't play games while I peed.

It was honestly one of those things I just… did.

A ruffling, scratchy sound noisily interrupted the conversation. "Okay, I'm back. How's it hanging?" Hayner's out-of-breath voice came through.

"Hmm… a little to the left."

"That's disgusting, Riku." Yup. Too much information.

"Kairi, it's only disgusting if you think about it. Just don't try to imagine my penis hanging—"

"Can we move on? Just a thought." I interrupted Riku's rambles, to which Riku only laughed off.

"You asked for it…"

* * *

We were down to the last wave. Unfortunately, Riku, Ven, and Hayner had somehow died.

Yeah— FAIL.

Yes, I was frustrated. Was it because the rest of the team sucked balls?

Maybe.

"Damn it… Sora, you need to pick me up again…" Kairi growled. I quickly found her character, letting her fight again. Just to clarify, Kairi wasn't one of those sucky guys. When I say terrible, talentless, _useless_ teammates, I mean Ven, Riku, and Hayner.

"Come on guys. It's the last one, and I want to go to bed." Hayner, being the whiny punk that he is, elicited a growl from Kairi.

"Maybe if you guys didn't _die_ in the first _forty-seven seconds_ of the game, we'd be done by now." She retorted in annoyance. She seemed to be letting off steam by blowing enemy bodies to bits.

"Hey, that was Hayner's fault. I told Riku to just let him die, but he didn't listen." Ven defended.

"Forgive me for being a team player… besides, there are only eight of them left. That's like four for each. Finish it up, guys."

"We're trying. Sora, pick up that grenade launcher next to you."

Hearing Kairi's order, I said through gritted teeth, "I'm kinda pinned down right now…" As if she were the only one getting shot at…

"Oh. My bad." And just like that, the enemy's head was blown clean off its shoulders.

Riku whistled in admiration. "I don't think it's possible to ever get tired of watching that."

Kairi and I continued to play while the others told us what to expect or when to hide. It worked out pretty well until Kairi died.

"Wait, are you dead?!" I asked nervously. I got a frustrated growl in response.

"Are you freaking kidding me? That's impossible. I was completely healthy a second ago!"

"Sora, there are five left. Don't you dare mess this up." Hayner once again remained ignorant of my plight. I'd very much prefer it if he were knocked out right now.

"Four left now! Go Sora!" Ven, who was much more _encouraging_ than Hayner, cheered me on.

"Dude, run upstairs and use the narrow hallway so you only have to deal with one at a time." Riku advised.

Oh. Of course.

Per Riku's strategy, the game met an anticlimactic end. There was no epic kill cam or victory song. It just kinda… ended.

"Dude, why didn't we just do that before?" I was fighting a smile the whole time. I, Sora, had just saved the game for everyone on the hardest level possible.

My gosh. Why am I so amazing? Like really. I'm sorry for taking it all.

"I only thought of it then. Oh well. We'll try that the next time we do this."

"Guys! Check the scoreboard!" Ven suddenly exclaimed. "You are not gonna believe this. You are really not gonna believe this."

"Sheesh, Ven. Are we not going to believe this? Huh? What was that? We're not gonna— holy shit. _No way."_ Riku gasped.

"This has to be some glitch." Kairi said in monotone.

"What?" climbing down from my pedestal of awesomeness, I decided to check the scoreboard, expecting to see me and Kairi at the top.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds, dumbstruck as to how to react. Hell, I didn't know how to react either.

Because there, on the scoreboard displayed on the giant flat screen, was my name. At first place.

Well now. That was unexpected.

"… Well, now what?" Hayner broke the awkward silence with the uncomfortable question.

"I think I'm going to go to bed now… er, good night guys." Ven signed out before any of us could reply. Well, not like we even responded in the first place. Suffice to say that we were all speechless.

"Kairi, I think you just lost your virginity for losing a video game." Riku stated in realization.

Ha, I think he's ri— what the _fuck is he saying!? _"Riku!"

Kairi suddenly burst out laughing. "I can't believe this is actually happening… wow…"

"This is the epitome of awkwaaaard…" Hayner laughed. "I think I'm just going to end the session now…"

"Wait, Kairi—"

"Good night, guys. Good night, Sora!" Kairi said right before leaving.

Oh, great. We can save the awkward for later then.

"Yeah, I'm going to bed. Catch ya guys later. It's been a good game."

I stared straight ahead, completely still on the bean bag. Maybe it wasn't awkward for them, but for me… how the hell was I supposed to face Kairi? I see her every day!

And it's not like I didn't want to see her every day. It's just…

"Who made this stupid bet anyway?!" I growled and rubbed my face in frustration. Should I just ignore it like everyone else? And I guarantee I _would_ if I didn't like Kairi the way I did.

I turned off the TV and made my way to bed, turning off the light as I left the area. All I had to do was… not think about it. Right. Ignore the whole thing, see Kairi tomorrow, and act natural. Nothing awkward. It's not like I just won sex with Kairi or anything.

"Uggggghhhhh…" I groaned and smothered myself. Thinking like that wasn't going to help my cause at all! "C'mon, Sora! Get to sleep. Forget about it and get to sleep…" I repeated the mantra inside my head, over and over. With nothing but the constant order to fall asleep, it didn't take long for me to finally close my eyes for the night.

* * *

I heard knocking, so I cracked my eyes open. It was still dark, and for some reason the room was spinning. I looked for any kind of light source, but my hands found nothing. The knocking persisted, so I took the chance to trek the dark basement that was still a little unfamiliar in the blackness of night. Surprisingly, I didn't run into anything and made it to the stairs without incident. There was a little light seeping under the cracks of the door, forcing me to avert my gaze elsewhere. Before I knew it, was standing at the threshold, my hand wrapped around a knob I couldn't really feel. More knocking coerced me to turn the thing and get it over with.

My eyes locked onto the intense gaze of a pair of angel eyes. She stood, calm and half-amused. I was frozen at the doorway, and suddenly the room too full of tension and the air too thick with restrained ambition.

Kairi. Wearing nothing but a bath towel, just like the very first time I saw her.

I was paralyzed by the sight of her; intoxicated by the smell of cherry almond; awestruck to hold her attention, to be in her presence. An overwhelming surge of feelings washed and chaotically thrashed inside of me: begging, _vying_ for release. I was falling so fast: so quickly being overrun by my emotions and urges to _act,_ to finally allow my feelings to manifest.

My hand, as if on its own accord, slowly rose until it lightly caressed her soft cheek. She was still, not at all intimidated by my actions. I could hear nothing but the beating of my own heart, the rate of the pounding ever becoming more rapid.

Wordlessly, she placed a hand on my unclothed chest, making me shiver under her hot touch.

I was breathing heavily, gasping for air: trying to find a way to calm myself, to tame my wild feelings.

I leaned in closer, slow enough so that she wouldn't be frightened. She didn't flinch; her eyes were half-closed in waiting. I felt her fingers tangle in my hair, softly clutching and pulling me closer.

"Sora…" her voice, like silk, reached my ears in the quietest of whispers. "You earned this Sora…" I could feel her hand run up my shoulder and neck, finally resting on my face.

"Kairi…we…" I tried to tell her that we didn't have to; that she didn't owe me anything. But my words were choked by the overwhelming sensations of her touch, silenced by excitement of something new and strongly desired.

I opened my eyes slightly, finding myself to be downstairs. I didn't remember how we got there, but we were standing right next to the bed. I couldn't move at all. Kairi smiled so innocently as if our actions were the most natural thing in the world.

I couldn't do it. It was all too good to be true.

"Kairi…"

"Sshh…" she placed both of her hands on my naked chest; my skin prickled like fire under her warm touch. "Just relax…"

She pushed me onto the bed and I was sucked out of the world.

* * *

I woke up with a start. Immediately shooting up, I looked around the room frantically, panting from the realization that whatever just happened was—

A dream.

"Holy crap."

I need help.

I threw off the covers and quickly walked to the sink, rinsing my face with cold water. The dream was still extremely fresh in my mind, and I didn't need any of that if I wanted to be able to look Kairi in the eye today. And, mind you, I did.

_Someone_ has to clean this whole mess up.

I pushed everything pertaining to Kairi into the far reaches of my mind until I would see her. I had other stuff to do. Like my laundry. Yes, my laundry. After cleaning myself up a bit, I fetched my phone and the basket of clothes sitting at the end of the bed. I quickly made my way upstairs and entered the main floor.

It was quiet: in fact, silence was ringing throughout the whole house, with only the hum of the air conditioning system in the background. The light that filtered through the windows also indicated that it was still early in the morning. I checked my phone and examined the time: 9:00 AM.

Ew, why did I wake up so early?

The tile felt cool against my bare feet as I made my way to the laundry room. I quickly got to work and threw my clothes inside the high-tech-looking machine, wondering how to start the thing. After figuring out that I had to press the "start" button (go figure, right?) the laundry was underway.

I'd have to return to that in about fifteen minutes. Now I had time to kill. I first turned on the TV and stopped on a network channel with news anchors talking about the going-ons of Destiny Islands. I sat and listened for a while. Nothing exciting was going on this week (aside from reports of surfing competitions, but I didn't surf) or for the rest of the month, but next month looked promising. I became aware that the biggest summer event for this part of Destiny Islands was the Pier Festival. Well, it encompassed both the pier and boardwalk, but the more important part wasn't added to the name.

I wonder if I'll be around here long enough to go to it. The Festival looks like a big deal, and this year their having a dance that only happens every four years on the penultimate day. It's obviously significant. Maybe the group I met here will plan something around that time.

I went into the kitchen, but left the TV on just in case any more interesting news came on. The time it took to heat a hot chocolate took almost two minutes off my waiting time, which was very much appreciated. I completed the process I became so familiar with and returned to the living room, clutching a warm mug. I positioned myself comfortably on one of the sofas and watched as I waited.

Not five minutes later did I hear the door in front of me opening. Kairi walked in after the lock retracted, wearing pink sweatpants and a white t-shirt. She noticed me upon entering and smiled.

"Hey! Good morning." She greeted cheerfully. It was a little disconcerting because she greeted me casually too.

"Er, hi… uh, I mean, good morning!" I overcame the initial shock and gave her a proper greeting. She shook her head in mock disappointment. "How are you?"

"Me?" I smirked at her reply, careful not to vocalize any sassy comments. No, I meant your invisible friend doing pushups on the floor next to you. She's been there all day. "I'm fine. I woke up a little too early for my liking, but I'm functioning just fine. I uh… I got you something too. Good thing you didn't make breakfast." She walked over, and only then did I realize that my heart was beating faster and faster.

Easy, Sora. This is reality now. Please don't do anything stupid. "Cool. What is it?" She handed me the brown paper bag. From the scent, my eyes lit up in realization. "A cinnamon roll?!"

She laughed, settling on the couch across from me. "Yup. Riku told me it was secretly your favorite food when you were younger. He said you would react like that too." I smiled, taking out the box that contained the warm pastry.

Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh. It's a cinnamon roll.

"Thanks, Kairi!" I opened the box and took a huge whiff. "Aaaah. It's been so long…"

Kairi didn't find my reaction the least bit weird; if anything, she looked amused. "No problem. I'm glad you still like it. Though I'm hoping that you won't go crazy as Riku described. He mentioned something about you falling down a flight of stairs?"

I cringed at the memory. "Yeah, I got a little excited. But c'mon, I was twelve years old. It was a big deal!" What was I saying? Every cinnamon roll is a big deal.

"As long as you don't go too crazy," she smirked, twirling her soft hair around her fingers, "I'm not getting paid to babysit a seventeen year old."

"Jeez, I don't get _that_ bad." I sliced off a huge chunk of cinnamon goodness and stuffed it in my mouth. I was almost moved to tears as I chewed, groaning with pleasure as the sweetness overloaded my taste buds. "Kairi, you are the best. Like, seriously. I lo— I love this." Oops, minor slip of tongue there… "The cinnamon roll. Thank you times infinity." I clarified with a huge grin. There was probably cinnamon sticking to my teeth, so I refrained from showing the pearly whites.

She smiled warmly, tucking her hair behind her ear and bringing her knees to her chest. "Heh, no problem. I'm glad you enjoy it still. Riku made it seem like it was an old, passing thing."

I chuckled at the ridiculousness of that statement. Me? Get over cinnamon rolls? Only for Kairi. "Heck no. Never. I will always love cinnamon rolls."

"Now I wish I had gotten you two!" she laughed as I stuffed more of the amazing food into my mouth. "You're wolfing that thing down faster than I've ever seen."

I was careful to swallow before answering, "Sorry, but I really can't get enough of this stuff. Where did you get this? It's amazing. I have to get more sometime."

"Just a small bakery near Riku's house." She watched me finish the last of the roll, her head tilted in quiet fascination. "That was fast."

"That was _good_…" I corrected with a smile. I gulped down the last of my hot chocolate and let out a contented sigh. "What were you doing near Riku's? Was he home already?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah. He left Ven and Roxas's around six this morning because he had a morning workout to do." Pfft, working out is overrated. "I just had to drop off the stuff he left for me last night."

"Oh." While I had intended to make a silly comment on the fact that Riku wakes up at an abominable time of day, the reason she went over reminded me of another awkward mishap.

Great.

The memories from last and my dream came flooding back to me, making me itchy all over. The room suddenly felt twelve degrees warmer.

Kairi yawned noisily, stretching her slender arms into the air. "I can't believe you beat me last night. By like, two kills too…" she rubbed her eyes, showing signs of tiredness.

"Uh, yeah… about that… thing," the choice of word just made me feel more awkward. "We can forget about it. The thing from last night."

She looked up at me with lazy eyes, "You mean you don't want to?"

I felt as if something suddenly lodged itself in my throat. "Wh-what? Kairi, I— no. _No._" I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "You're messing with me, aren't you?"

She giggled, stretching herself out comfortably on the sofa. "Yup. Probably would've worked if I was running at a hundred percent too…" Kairi shifted and adjusted herself so her head was resting on her arms. "Next time for sure…"

She seemed to be slipping from the conscious world with slowing breaths. "Are you going to take a nap?" I asked quietly.

"I think so… I'm so tired. Just don't let me sleep for over an hour and a half."

I nodded. "All right…" Wow, now what? She came back, but it's still as if I'm alone in the house. "I'll, uh… sweet dreams!" I said before returning to the kitchen.

I take that she agrees that we should forget about the bet from last night. Works for me.

I had to busy myself somehow, so I decided to eat. Since I had already eaten a cinnamon roll, a little voice in the back of my mind told me that I should eat something… healthier. I took some of Tifa's cereal (it was the only non-sugary box in the pantry) and poured myself a bowl. To top it all off, I added banana slices. Classic.

I had a feeling it was going to be a long hour and thirty minutes.

* * *

The time had passed. I finished my laundry, cleaned up the basement, and cooked (meaning poured milk into a bowl of cereal and adding banana slices) myself a decent breakfast.

I was reluctant to wake Kairi up because… well, she looked comfortable. I don't know about anyone else, but I never had an urge to wake a sleeping angel. But she did tell me I had to…

"Well, here goes nothing…" Taking a deep breath, I knelt before Kairi and poked her shoulder. "Kairi… hey, it's time to wake up."

No response.

"Kairi, c'mon! You better not get mad at me. I'm trying here!" I shook her lightly, causing her to stir. "It's been an hour and a half already. You said not to let you sleep more than that."

"I'll get up in five minutes, mom…"

I withdrew slightly. Did I sound like a mom?

Brushing the short swell of insult away, I urged Kairi again, "Kairi… wake up! I'm dying! I'm dying, Kairi!" I threw in a gurgle and fell to the floor in dramatic fashion.

"Good…"

Whoa. _Ouch._

"Kairi, that's mean…" I picked myself up off the floor, pouting at her sleeping form.

"Good. That's what you get for waking me up." Her voice came through clearer, but her eyes were still closed.

"Hey! You're awake!" I declared with delight.

She cracked open an eye, "Oh, nice to meet you. Captain Obvious, right?" she smirked confidently, complaining when I ruffled her hair. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I would answer 'for making fun of me', but even Captain Obvious thinks that's obvious." I grinned teasingly. She pushed me hard enough to force me onto my behind, but her face showed obvious amusement. "Jeez, all I did was follow orders."

"I know." She ran a hand through her hair, trying to alleviate the damage that I (I honestly thought that _sleeping_ did more to her hair than my actions) had done. "You were just the unfortunate soul I charged with the duty. Don't take it personally."

Once again, I was picking myself up from the floor because of Kairi.

Does anyone see a trend here?

"I'd hate to be your alarm clock." Brushing imaginary dirt off my shorts, I straightened up to full height. "Why'd you want to be awake at this time? Do you have something to catch on TV?"

Groaning in satisfaction, she stretched her slender arms above her head. I forced myself to look away. "No, I just… I just wanted to be up. I didn't need more than an hour and a half anyway." She yawned, rapidly blinking to suppress her watery eyes.

"Are you sure? You can sleep a little more if you need to."

"I'm fine… by the way, what are your plans for today?" she titled her head in query, constantly trying to comb her hair with her fingers.

"I don't know. I'm kinda bored, actually." I dropped onto the sofa with a leg hanging over the armrest. Kairi spun around quickly and glared.

"Sora, don't say that!" When I told her I had no idea what she was talking about, she explained, "We're stuck in school for the majority of the year, looking forward to summer vacation. You can't possibly be telling me that you're wasting this coveted time being _bored!_ Take advantage of it, Sora! Before you know it, you'll be sitting in the classroom again, listening to the teacher drawl on and on about filtration process of the kidney!"

Taken aback, I couldn't help but ask, "Is there some sort of… a form of animosity toward your biology teacher or something?"

Her lips twitched into a small smile. "Maybe. But I really do look forward to summer vacation. And that is why I like to spend every minute of it doing _something_, anything so I'm not bored."

I grinned in agreement. She was right. I sat through hours and hours of classes, waiting for this time to come… and I'm wasting it. I'm on freaking _Destiny Islands_. There's got to be something to do here.

But I really didn't feel like going out much.

"Okay, so you're right. I am wasting time. But I don't feel like going out. What to do?" I asked her.

She tapped her chin in thought, her eyes gazing upward. "Hmm… why don't we watch a movie? And maybe we can order pizza for lunch."

I blinked. Well, that about settles it. "Sure. Works for me."

"Cool. I don't really feel like going out today either. What kind of movie do you want to watch?"

"I dunno. What does Tifa have?" I got up from the couch and browsed the large compartment of the entertainment center. All the movies were neatly arranged on an electronic… revolving platform.

Seriously, this house is _stocked_ with the awesomest high-tech gear.

"Okay, well I wanna watch a musical." She declared. I turned to her with a raised brow.

"For real? I never took you for one to like musicals-made-movie. Any in particular, then? She's got them all."

"Oh really? Why don't you pick your favorite then?"

"Huh?"

"You must be familiar with all of them to say that she has them all. Plus, you're probably surprised I watch musicals because you do too." She crossed her arms as if she had proven something.

I scratched my head in confusion. "Um… what? I didn't follow that process."

"Too bad." She giggled as she threw herself onto the most comfortable couch. "Hmm. I should probably make popcorn…"

"Good idea." I turned back to the movie collection and resumed my search. "Do you have a favorite?"

"I do. But I don't want to watch my favorite. I want to watch your favorite." She said matter-of-factly.

"And if I don't have one?"

"You do. So pick it."

Oh gosh. So how do I go about picking this movie without her making fun of me? Should I just pick a different one? "Er, I don't think you'll like my favorite."

"Why not? Tell me what it is."

"I'd rather not." That means I'd rather not tell her my favorite musical _and_ compromise my manliness.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Sora, tell me!"

Ugh, fine.

I mumbled the name of the musical, hoping she would hear.

"What was that?" She leaned forward, intent on hearing it this time.

"_Mamma Mia._" I answered in a clearer voice. Already, I could my cheeks heating up.

It didn't help when my answer was met with an unrelenting silence.

Crap. I knew that was going to happen. She probably thinks—

"Hahaha!" Kairi suddenly burst out in hysterics, her laugh echoing throughout the house. I turned to see her clutching her sides, adding yet another reason for my red face.

"I knew you would react like that…" I shuffled my feet uncomfortably on the floor, pouting in Kairi's direction. "I don't want to watch anything anymore…"

"Aww, Sora!" She tried to whine, but only ended up wheezing instead. I chuckled at the strange substitution. "Sora, come on! I'm just surprised! I think it's adorable that you like that musical!"

I dropped onto my butt and sat idly on the floor, staring at the design underneath me. "You're just saying that."

"No I'm not!" I suddenly felt her arms wrapped around my shoulders. She was saying something, but I was almost completely lost in the overwhelming sensation of her arms embracing me and the scent of cherry almond overtaking my senses. "It really is adorable. Can you take it out and set it up? Please?"

I made every effort to keep myself from slurring my words. I didn't want her to let go yet, so I asked, "And if I don't?"

"Then I'll be really sad. I want to watch your favorite musical. Come on, Sora! I'm not making fun of you!"

"F-fine…" I plucked the movie from the rotating device; I couldn't help but feel disappointed when Kairi broke her hug and cheered.

"Awesome! Thanks, Sora. I'll go make the popcorn now! Set it up!" she skipped off into the kitchen, her step a lot bouncier. I shook my head and sighed. Did she really not understand the effect she had on me?

I continued to set up the movie, pressing random buttons until the surround sound system came on. After adjusting the volume and finding the appropriate remote, I retreated to the best couch in the living room. Kairi came back holding a bowl filled to the brim with popcorn.

"I added extra butter!" Kairi sang excitedly as she sat next to me. I took the bowl off her hands and ate the first piece.

"Already in the musical mood?" I grinned.

She took a piece of her own and chewed down on it noisily. "Yup. Don't tell me you aren't. I'm expecting you to break out into song at any given moment."

I started the movie, chuckling when she tried to take the bowl from me. "Good. Now when I do, you won't be startled." I joked.

"Now _that_ would be a sight to see." Kairi snatched another handful of popcorn and laughed. "If you can't help yourself, at least put down the popcorn before getting up and breaking out into dance as well. I quite enjoy popcorn, but not if it's on the floor."

I grinned slyly, "I won't be making any guarantees, Miss Kairi."

* * *

"_Yes, I've been broken-hearted~"_

_"Blue since the day we parted~"_

_"Why, why, did I ever let you go?"_ We sang the final line in unison, staring out wistfully into the driveway for dramatic effect. Kairi almost fell backwards laughing when the pizza guy looked back at us, gave us a weird look, and walked faster toward his car. He promptly sped out and away.

That was the cherry on top of the mountain of awesomeness_._

"Kairi," I gasped the syllables between every hysteric laugh, "That. Was. Amazing." Why was this girl so _freaking amazing?!_

Kairi, who was bent over laughing, made every effort to meet my gaze. She failed out of laughing too hard. After a few seconds of unrelenting laughter, she wheezed, "He'll remember us for the rest of the day. Good job on the follow up and improvised duet."

I shrugged, balancing the boxes of pizza in each hand. "I know all the words; what can I say?" I walked past the now turned-off TV and into the kitchen, sliding the pizza boxes onto the table. "What do you want to drink?"

"Whatever you're getting. My gosh, we definitely have to do that more often."

"Do what?" Watch movies together?

"Sing duets to random people to freak them out, of course."

"And make them feel like they just came into contact with a strange couple who implied that they wanted to have some sort of deranged threesome? No thanks, Kairi." She laughed, one of the few to find my sarcasm… funny. "I'm kidding. That's definitely planned into my list of 'things to do' during this summer vacation."

"I'm right there with you!" I gave Kairi a filled cup of soda, falling into the seat across from her. "Out of curiosity, how many times have you watched _Mamma Mia_?"

"Why? So you can make fun of me again?" The question-made-accusation left my lips through a smile. Kairi cutely pouted and huffed.

"You know I was sorry for that. I think it's cute that you like a story like that."

"I know, I know…" I opened the first box of pizza (we got two on my insistence) and picked the biggest slice. "I don't know the exact number, but I've definitely seen it over twenty times."

"Aww, so cute!" she cooed. I looked away in embarrassment, taking a large bite from the pizza.

"Yeah, whatever…"

For the most part, our lunch was filled with conversation. Times like these were testaments on how comfortable I had gotten with Kairi. For someone I've only known for six days, it sure felt like she was one of my longtime friends. How could someone I met under the most random of circumstances become one among my favorite people?

Slice after slice, Kairi and I talked about everything: good movies, good music, our friends, and school. I loved the way she explained things. She always got so into her stories, speaking animatedly and with brilliant impersonations. I felt like we were catching up instead of telling a new friend of old experiences.

After finishing a box and a half of pizza (much to Kairi's disgust, but I think she was more impressed), we cleaned the kitchen of any mess and put the leftover pizza away. Per my suggestion, we agreed to take out the strawberry ice cream still sitting in the freezer. I didn't know we had only one carton left because I don't remember ever finishing the first one.

But when we opened the freezer door and found that there was in fact only one carton… well…

All hell broke loose.

"It's mine!"

"Dibs!" we screamed and reached for the carton at the same time. My hand fell on it first, but Kairi got a second hand on it before I could. We both held onto it with fierce determination.

"Well, well, well." Kairi drawled. "Looks like we have a predicament."

"Not if we say that first touch gets it." I stared back with fierce determination.

Kairi laughed and nodded toward the ice cream carton. "Excuse me? Is that your hand on _top_ of mine? What does that mean?"

"It means you got a second hand on it faster than I did. See, if you were to look on the top of the carton, you'd find your hand placed on top of _mine._" I argued.

"So what do we do? Rock papers scissors?"

"Yeah, not falling for that one, Kairi."

She giggled, shaking her head. "Man, either I'm losing my game or you've finally caught on."

"I'd like to think that I've gotten to know you a little better and finally caught on." I flashed a smile. She huffed and looked away, making my smile disappear. "Uh, something up?"

"Yeah. You're cheating." She cryptically said under her breath.

"What? Cheating? How?"

She looked at me, and seeing my distressed state, added, "Never mind. How long do you plan on holding my hand?"

I almost retracted my hands out of reaction, but stopped. "Wait a second…" I narrowed my eyes, making her giggle even more. "Nice try. But when are you going to let go of _my_ hand?"

"Hopefully never." Her eyes connected with mine and a heart-stopping smile shone on her features. My whole back suddenly started getting a prickly feeling; all I could do was slightly gape and stare. After realizing what she had said, her cheeks turned a cute shade of pink. She coughed lightly and added, "Uh, so long as your hand is on the ice cream. You know. 'Cause I want the ice cream…"

"Yeah…"

Awkward silence.

"Tell you what," I said a little louder than normal. I inwardly flinched at my unintended volume, but said, "Why don't we share it? I mean, we just ate pizza and everything, so I don't think we'll finish. Plus, I don't think we should keep the freezer open for too long."

She pondered for a quick moment and agreed. "Good. My hand— _hands,_ are kinda getting cold anyway."

She first lifted her hand off mine, then removed her other. After an awkward chuckle, I took out the ice cream while she collected silverware.

Or at least, I thought she did. I opened the carton and found that she was holding two plastic spoons. "Uh…"

"Oh, I figured that since we haven't really used any dishes, we could just… you know, share the carton. So we don't have to do any dishes."

I liked the idea, so I made it obvious. Nodding fervently, I held my hand out for a spoon, which she dropped into my hand. "Shall we go into the living room? Let's see if there's anything on."

She agreed and led me to the couch we were on before. I held out the carton after taking the first scoop. "Hey!" she protested. "I wanted the first scoop."

I grinned after savoring the strawberry goodness. "Well, you're too late now." She immediately took a scoop and ate it.

"You're going to pay for that later." She stopped on a random channel.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really." Her eyes showed that she was serious. I wanted to laugh.

"We'll see what you've got under your sleeve then." I turned my attention to the movie, but didn't really pay attention to what was happening. We started talking about other things again; things that didn't relate to the TV or movie at all.

"I am going to regret eating this much later." She sighed as she ate another spoonful.

"Why? If anything, I have something to regret. I had a whole pizza pie and here I am, sitting on the couch eating strawberry ice cream." I laughed. Not to mention that _amazing_ cinnamon roll from this morning. I was still getting over that.

"Yeah, you fatass." She pointed her spoon accusingly at me, tucking her soft hair behind her ear with a mirthful smile. "I'm just thinking about all the working out I'll have to do later."

"Work out? When?"

"When Miss Lockhart gets back. She's gonna kick our asses around. That's Roxas and I, of course."

"Oh." I nodded slowly, trying to ignore the little reminder that Tifa and Cloud were returning tomorrow. "Are you worried about getting fat or something?" I quickly looked at Kairi and wondered what exactly she had to worry about.

"No, not really. I don't— well, I do care about my weight, but I'm not…" her eyes darted upward as she thought of a word to use, "obsessive about it. I can actually eat as much as I want because my workouts will burn it all, but I like to keep a healthy diet too. For example, I can't remember the last time I was sick. I've never missed a day of high school unless it was an excused absence for tennis or something."

"Wow. That's kind of scary. Impressive, but scary." I still guiltlessly ate the ice cream I was holding.

"Thanks!" she smiled warmly. "Yeah, so… I like to eat healthily and exercise healthily. Though sometimes I wish I had that natural metabolism that Naminé has. The girl— forgive me for saying this, but athletics is definitely not her prime field— doesn't exercise beyond walks in the park with Roxas, but she somehow stays skinny."

"Does she eat a lot?"

Kairi thought about it for a moment before laughing quietly. "Well, not like a cow. But she doesn't starve herself. She actually eats full meals and remains unaffected. Remarkable, if you ask me."

"Yeah…" I waited for Kairi to take her next scoop before taking another. "Speaking of Naminé, have you heard from either of them?"

She blinked before hopping off the couch, running to her purse on the end table. "Oops. Two missed calls and some messages." She giggled nervously before opening her phone. "From Roxas and Naminé. They want to know if we'll meet them in… an hour. No, make that forty-five minutes."

"Meet them for what?" I asked after swallowing another spoonful of ice cream.

"Hopefully not lunch." Kairi threw me a look as she approached the couch again. Laughing, she took another scoop of ice cream and ate it. "So what do you say?" she asked with the spoon still in her mouth. "Want to meet up with them?"

I thought for a moment. "Why not? I kind of want to see if they'll act differently since they were so couple-ish already."

"Good. If you don't mind, I'll be taking my last scoop. I have to get ready 'cause I'm still wearing…" she looked down at her pink sweatpants, "Yeah. I have to change.""

I chuckled when her face began to turn slightly red. "All right, good idea." I took my last scoop, "I'll put this back in the freezer."

Kairi suddenly yelled in panic, "Sora, wait!" I immediately stopped, my eyes catching her frantic motions. "There's something in your ice cream!"

"Huh?" I looked down at the wrist Kairi was clutching, and then to the ice cream. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. There's just something… here," she made a motion to show me something, but her actions were more of betrayal.

Before I could react, she ate the last bite right off my spoon.

Oh no. No she didn't.

She did not just eat _my_ ice cream. My _strawberry_ ice cream.

"Kairi…" I released a slow breath; the spoon was shaking slightly in my quivering hand.

She bit her lip, feigning innocence. "Yes? Is something wrong, Sora?"

Gee, let's think.

Never mind.

I quickly lunged forward, screaming my head off, and pinned a laughing Kairi underneath me on the couch. "Give it back!" I yelled in grief.

"It's kinda too late for that now!" she giggled as she tried to escape my hold. "I told you. I warned you that you had it coming. I merely followed through on the threat."

"Really? Well I just might reach down your throat and get it back."

"For a bite of ice cream? I can hardly see it happening. You can try, if you'd like." She challenged with a playful gaze.

I moved my face closer to hers and narrowed my eyes. "Don't take me lightly. That was perfectly good strawberry ice cream."

"Mmm, and it was _so good."_ Kairi moaned with pleasure, sending shivers down my spine.

Oh gosh, not now.

Control the hormones.

"You owe me…" I started, but stopped when I realized that a hand had broken free from my hold.

She poked me in the forehead and stuck her tongue out. "I told you. That was payback."

I dropped more of my weight on her. "It was my last bite before getting ready."

I couldn't help but notice when she licked her lips. "Too bad for you. I can still taste the strawberry _on my lips. _You're not going to go _that_ far for your last bite, are you_?"_

I swear, women had to have been created to wreak havoc on the minds of men from the inside out.

I suddenly felt a little dizzy, and everything around me got a little hazy. "Maybe…" I couldn't even think straight, "maybe I will…"

Her free hand tightly bunched my shirt under her closed fist. I slowly closed my eyes, submitting myself to the overwhelming feelings that were coursing through me.

"Wait." Suddenly, I couldn't move forward. The hand that had previously been holding my shirt was now an open palm, pushing me back.

I felt terrible.

"Sor—" I started to apologize, but my word was interrupted by the loud ringing of her phone. She sighed, chuckling under her breath.

"Figures. Totally saw that coming…" I immediately got off her and picked up the forgotten carton of ice cream and plastic spoons. I took them to the kitchen and put them in their proper place.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid…" I mumbled to myself. Why was I even allowing things like that to happen? Pinning her to the couch? Really, Sora? What did you expect to happen?

I returned to the kitchen to hear the rest of Kairi's conversation. "Yeah, that'll work… yes, I'm sure that I won't be eating anymore. Don't be afraid to start without us… okay, I'll see you then. Bye."

She hung up her phone, meeting my eyes in a more sober-feeling room. "I'm guessing that was Naminé or Roxas?" I asked, folding my hands behind my head.

"Roxas." She answered. "We'll be meeting them at the new café downtown." I nodded, not knowing how else to respond. Sighing, she made a move for the stairs. "I'm uh… I'm gonna get ready now. Meet you here in fifteen?"

"Yeah." I grinned. "I'll be waiting."

* * *

RE: I'd like to take this time to apologize to the other authors of this site. It seems that I'm hogging all the best reviewers. These people are **dearlybelovedangel, True-Light-San, ShadowSpooky, Str1k3n01r, Kairi Nanami, Fanfiction Fanatiction, JazzBox, Lebrezie, Keyblader123, mookie muffin, LAF108, jenyflo5483, Princess of blah blah blah, Yellow Gummybear, TinaalovesMints, hidden x charade, Electron Beam, Tayt63, ILooovesMatty, LadyAxel22, Storyteller35, Roxasfan123, Blood Seraph, HideYourFeathers, SiegLord, mattjesse, lovelymokotan27, Telracs1994, Rebel-chan, SecretAgent99, SilverClock, young gun kid, infidelities, Black-Dax, Noodles For Jae, experienced keyblade master, Hikari-Kawaii, Aldergrace, xTwichii, Nicrafetix, iandin123, what lovely little nonsense, mameido13**, and **spellbound**. I know, I know, I'm such a hog. But I kinda love these guys.

Thanks a ton to anyone who _**favorited** or **alerted**_ any of my stories... or myself!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Take care, okay? I'll see you around!


	13. The Week and its Wonders

Chapter 13: The Week and its Wonders

I want to say that the ride to the café was quiet and comfortable. In reality, it was excruciating.

Sora seemed pensive for much of the ride (or at least, every time I took my eyes off the road), and the only person that spoke was the annoying DJ on the radio. Still, the occasional music that would play every so often was welcomed filler.

I changed into a much more presentable outfit: denim shorts, a white button up, and a light brown vest to complement the look. Quite frankly, the outfit was chosen so I could wear my cute one-inch heels.

Sora looked rather attractive in his wardrobe combination. His dark blue jeans went well with the black button up shirt, which he left unbuttoned near the top.

I cleared my throat, slightly squinting my eyes in the effort. Sora, as if on reflex, turned to me right after. He cocked his head curiously to one side, but didn't say anything.

Ugh, what is this? The Quiet Game or something?

"So…" I extended the word to epic proportions, but neither of us said anything after. I was getting a little frustrated. Why wasn't he talking to me? I wanted him to talk and joke and make me laugh, not sit like a deadbeat in an awkward car ride.

"You know, I can't help but shake the feeling that you want me to talk," he suddenly said. When I stole a glance at him, he was smirking mischievously.

That was an outrageously sexy feat given his outfit.

"Gee, I wonder what could've given you that idea…" I nodded, making sure to roll my eyes in the most obnoxiously noticeable manner possible.

"Oh, I enjoyed just watching you."

"Like what you see? I'll make sure to take a picture later. Would you like it to be portrait sized, or will a bedside photo be good enough?"

Instead of flinching, his smirk grew into a full blown smile. "I wasn't checking you out, if that's what you assumed." Well, darn. My hopes and dreams, crushed in a matter of seconds. "I was talking about observing you. Did you know that your lip always twitches when you decide whether or not to accelerate or brake when the light turns yellow?"

I cracked a smile. "That's kinda creepy that you noticed. I didn't even know that." Upon entering the downtown area, I mentally noted the drop in speed limit. "To be honest, I didn't know you were observing me. I see you've trained your ability to check someone out without the person noticing."

Alas, his face went pink with irritation, "I told you that I wasn't checking you out."

"Yeah, but you wanted to."

"Don't flatter yourself." He stuck his tongue out at me, obviously out of retorts. "Besides, you need to work on your skills. You were raping me with your eyes the whole ride."

I turned to him since we were stopped at a red light. "I so was not! How could I do that when I was concentrating on the road?" It may have been a blatant lie, but it was a damn good one.

"Well, that's just it. You didn't notice that we ran a red light."

"I did not run a red light!"

"Exactly." He smiled triumphantly. "The fact that you don't even know that you did further supports my claim."

"What, your made up support aiding your made up claim? Don't give me that."

"All righty then!" he laughed, turning his face to look out the window. We didn't say anything to each other until we found a parking spot.

"Finally…" I muttered as I got out of the car. "That was a fun car ride."

"Tell me about it." He shot me a grin as he closed his door. He took a single step before stopping in his tracks. "Great. Scuffed my shoe on your tire. I'll have to clean that later."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be a little girl. Your shoes are black anyway." I turned around with a huff, expecting him to follow. When I didn't hear (or feel) his presence behind me, I turned around to see him in the same spot, grinning like an idiot. "What?"

"You so totally were checking me out in the car!" He pointed an accusing finger and laughed.

"Ugh, not this again…"

"Oh yeah? Well how'd you know my shoes were black?"

"I—" I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn't think of anything to say. "You know what, I'm not waiting for you." I turned on my heel and stalked off, making every effort to block out his musical laughter behind me.

* * *

"You two look rather…" Roxas started when I slid into the booth, "you know what, never mind. Your eyes are shooting laser beams right now." I crossed my arms and huffed. Sora casually slid into the spot next to me with a large smile on his face.

"How are you guys?" Naminé greeted.

"Great!"

"I've had better." Sora and I said at the same time. Roxas raised a brow, but didn't ask questions.

Sora seemed to be enjoying the situation a lot. "And how are you two doing today? Enjoy your honeymoon?"

"Oh, haha. You're so funny, Sora. I wanna be just like you when I grow up." Roxas rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. I took the quick moment to look over the newly official couple: the hands hidden underneath the table were obviously locked together, but that wasn't anything new.

In fact, the only thing that was different was that they seemed to be a lot… older. Well, that's not the word for it. But I'm getting a feeling that they feel more mature. It felt so strange to look at them now. They weren't that different (if at all) but they just exuded a different kind of… aura.

Naminé took the time to answer Sora with more civility. "We've been fine, Sora. Probably haven't done anything you were thinking—"

"About doing to Kairi…" Roxas muttered under his breath. I kicked him under the table.

"—so you can wipe that creepy smile off your face now." I love how Naminé continued despite the little exchange, though her joking tone held a kind of seriousness to it. "You two seem awfully chipper today. Did something happen?"

We were actually on the verge of kissing, which definitely would've led to making out, if that's what you mean, my friend.

"No… we're just happy people, I guess. Right, Kairi?" Sora threw me a dazzling grin.

"You bet!" Just two, extremely happy people. Exactly. "Have you guys eaten already?"

"Our food is on the way, actually. Are you really going to sit here and watch us eat?" Roxas asked skeptically.

"Depends. Do they serve grilled cheese?" Sora asked in an intentionally loud whisper. I turned to him and shook my head.

"What are you? Four? A grilled cheese?"

He turned back to me with equal fervor. "Don't hate! You're just mad because I thought of it first!"

"Your mom is mad."

"Your _face_ is mad." He held up his hands in an 'I-don't know' manner as if he just burned me bad. Oh yeah. You definitely won that one, Sora.

"Oh my gosh, will you two cut it out already? You're flirting like a bunch of fifth graders." Roxas groaned in irritation while Naminé giggled quietly to herself. "Sheesh, if I knew we were going to babysit when we invited you two, I would've opted out…"

"We're not flirting."

"It's playful _bantering._ " I finished for Sora. I gave him a high five without breaking eye contact with Roxas. I watched him roll his eyes and groan again.

Wow, that high five made me feel outrageously cool.

The waiter came before any exchanges could be made. I think Roxas was snappy because he was hungry: as soon as his sandwich arrived, he became as quiet as any good child that sits in a corner and reads instead of smashing toys together in the most disruptive manner possible.

Sora and I ordered drinks, but the meals from earlier today were enough for both of us. We didn't have much to do, so Naminé was kind enough to speak to us. Her boyfriend was in his own little world now.

"So what have you two been doing all day? Enjoying each other's company, I presume?" Naminé asked with a smile as she calmly ate her soup: quite the juxtaposition with Roxas wolfing down the first half of his sandwich.

"Oh, I suppose so. For the most part, he's been a good boy." I patted Sora on the head. "We watched his favorite musical today. And we had strawberry ice cream."

"You shared strawberry ice cream?" my best friend's eyes darted back and forth. "Oh, I don't mean that in the 'oh how cute, you guys are like a couple.' I meant more in the context that you both, despite your strange and powerful obsession with strawberry ice cream, found in your heart the will to share without hurting each other."

"Mmm. Ice cream sounds good." Roxas grinned widely. Yeah, the guy didn't have a stick up his ass after all. He was just hungry.

Boys are so disgustingly simple it makes things unbelievably complicated. Where's the sophistication? Are all their lives so… dull and driven by such _boring_ things?

The waiter arrived with our drinks. Well, now Sora's running at fifty percent in this conversation as well.

"What about you two? I don't think you ever answered the question." I specifically spoke to Naminé as I saw Roxas busily chewing his food in the corner of my eye.

"Oh, hanging out, as usual. We woke up pretty early today and went biking around the community. Haven't done that in like a year, so…" Naminé shrugged, "Yeah. Highlight of our morning. Nothing stressful; very relaxing."

"I'm sure…" The conversation wasn't getting anywhere. I knew why. "Hey guys, Naminé and I are going to visit the restroom. Will you be okay?" When the collective response I got was a happy nod from Sora, I took it as a yes.

And so we went to the bathroom: the only place where those boys couldn't (legally) follow. Thankfully, the café that the two newly… well, they're not newlyweds… the café that the new couple chose was rather clean and modern. Talking in this environment for a long period of time wasn't going to be a bother.

"Was my answer not satisfying enough?" Naminé rolled her eyes as she washed her hands. She couldn't find the strength to hide that smile of hers though.

"Oh please. You know I want details. What happened since we last saw each other?"

"You mean you want to know what happened in the… what, fifteen hours we were apart? If you must know, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Oh come on. I know you slept over again."

"I did. And it wasn't _that_ different than all the other times." She turned the faucet off and flicked her hands.

"Well now we're getting somewhere! Something happened, right?" I dropped into a nearby chair. I mentally noted that I had to thank the manager of this place for being so well-prepared for these kinds of situations.

"Not exactly…" She took slow, deliberate steps as she thought of what to say, "We didn't do anything along the lines of what you're thinking. He held me—"

"Aww!" I cooed.

"— and I held him, and we… talked." She dried her fingers one by one. "Everything felt so different. Like our actions had more meaning!" Her speech became more animated at that revelation. "Yeah. It was different in the sense that it had more meaning. Like he wasn't just putting his arms around me while he slept anymore. He was hugging me. And I wasn't burying my face in his chest just because it was comfortable, but because I wanted to know and feel that he was there." She looked at me and her eyes suddenly widened. "Uh, sorry Kairi. This probably isn't making any sense to you…"

"What? No, it is!" I was genuinely happy to hear everything. "If my face was showing confusion, ignore it. I want to hear more!" I bounced excitedly in my seat to emphasize my point.

"Well, since you're so eager to hear more…" I could tell she wanted to tell me as much as I wanted to hear it. "Everything feels a lot more significant now. We talked so long into the night, sorting out… everything, really. We told each other how we felt, how long we felt it— oh, you were right, I guess. He liked me for a _long_ time." She was quick to wave off anything I was prepared to say, so I kept my mouth shut. "And… I told him everything. How long _I freaking waited_," she said in mock anger, making me bite my lip in amusement. She continued, "Why I didn't ask him, why I never told him first… he agreed and said that it was definitely his fault."

"Damn straight it was. Stupid boy took forever." I flipped my hair, suppressing the boiling frustration from the past. What's done is done, and it all turned out happy in the end. I can be happy for them.

"I know, right? Anyway… I think I'm starting to understand why Selphie likes relationships so much." She propped her head up on her hand, looking thoughtful.

"Oh yeah? How so?" I asked curiously.

"These… what, twenty-four hours? Yeah, they've been the best twenty-four hours of my entire life. It's total bliss, Kairi… sometimes I don't feel like any of this is real. Like it's too good to be real. I think Selphie finds this stuff addicting."

"Which is why her longest relationship lasted only eight months." I needlessly informed her.

Naminé nodded. "I know it won't last forever, but I think this is why people try to so hard to put themselves in a relationship. It's inexplicable: these first few moments in a relationship. It's really something you have to experience yourself. And I already know it won't last forever. You don't have to tell me." She added hastily when I opened my mouth to speak, "It's just… well it's incredibly fun, Kairi. And now I'm going to shut up because I'm starting to sound like a preacher."

"Naminé, how many times do I have to tell you that I _like_ hearing about your love life?" I said irritably, "I know why you want to stop talking too, but you still have to tell me a few things."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like if Roxas ever asked you out properly." I flipped my hair and waited for an answer.

"He did."

I stared at her adamantly, waiting for her to continue. She smiled casually, most likely pretending she had no idea what was going on. "And?"

"And I said yes."

Touché. "Well if you're not going to tell me anything, then I'm not telling you what I found out today."

She immediately perked up. "What happened today that you haven't told me?"

"Something. With…" I pointed to the bathroom door with my eyes. "Him. Just some stuff. Nothing worth sharing…"

"I think we have time, Kairi."

"Lots. So why don't you tell me what happened?" I shot back with a smirk.

"You walk a hard line." She sighed in defeat, shaking her head. I always win. "It was this morning… he brought me breakfast in bed. And… he asked me out properly. With all our feelings sorted out, he had no problem this time."

"Now was that so hard?" I smiled victoriously. She grimaced. "So did you guys… you know, _celebrate_?"

"Kairi, that's an inappropriate question."

I blinked. She definitely wasn't going to concede. I could hear it in her voice. "You're right. It was. Plus, I probably don't want to know anyway."

"Good. Now it's your turn. What happened with Sora today?" She sat up eagerly, leaning forward with bated breath.

"Well, in the span of about twelve hours, I lost my virginity to him in a stupid bet, I bought him a cinna—"

"Oh yeah. Ven told us about that this morning. Kairi, you really should stop playing with the guys." She said in mock disapproval. Darn. I was hoping to surprise her with that one. "What else?"

"The bet was called off after I bought him a cinnamon roll. We also watched his favorite musical, _Mamma Mia!_, and I couldn't help but laugh!"

"Kairi, that's so mean!"

"I know, I know! I regretted it afterwards and gave him a hug. Man egos are so delicate…" I giggled with Naminé before continuing, "We scared the pizza guy too. That's when we ate and talked and had ice cream. And here is where it gets interesting." I stood up to emphasize my point.

"I'm listening." Naminé said calmly from her chair.

I started walking slowly to the end of the bathroom. "Well, after a carefully orchestrated sequence of events, I actually came upon a solid, well-supported, and genuine revelation." I turned on my heel with a grin on my face.

"So you had an epiphany? Go on."

"Yes, well… after a series of… _stuff,_" Needless to say, I didn't want to get into the details, "I have come to the conclusion that…" I paused, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

"Yes?"

"I've concluded that Sora likes me." I said confidently. I turned to Naminé to see her reaction.

Nothing?

"Heh…" she laughed lightly, shaking her head. "Congratulations?"

"Naminé, what are you talking about? This is big news here!"

"Yeah, maybe for you…" she scoffed, checking her nails.

"Naminé, I definitely know that he likes me. How is that not a big deal?"

"Oh, I don't know… maybe because I already knew that? Haven't I hinted at that already?" she shrugged nonchalantly. "I feel cheated, to be honest."

"Well, I confirmed it for myself. I think that's a big deal."

"How did you go about doing that, by the way? Since I won't be hearing anything interesting after all, do tell."

After I made Naminé apologize (and she definitely owed me one after giving _that_ attitude), I enlightened her on all the little things that went down. She found my flirting methods to be entertaining; I practiced self-restraint and trudged along with the story, ignoring the urge to bring up her techniques. Let's just say I made her look like an amateur.

"So why didn't you kiss him? Or, excuse me, let him kiss you?" Naminé asked with genuine interest. I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came to mind. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You don't _know?_"

"No, I do! I think I do. It's a combination of a lot of things, really. The phone ringing was just the excuse."

"Like what?"

"Like… um…" I bit my lip, trying to put the thoughts in my mind into words. "Well, I'm just wondering if I should bother, really." I said quickly. I could hear Naminé groaning behind me and immediately felt that I had to go on the defensive. "Naminé, I don't know when he's leaving. It's probably soon. Who's to say this isn't some summer fling? And I've really been trapped with him for a week. Maybe I didn't fall for him. Maybe I'm just… infatuated or something."

"Kairi—"

"Let me finish, please. I know that may sound bad to you, but do you understand where I'm coming from? I just want to make sure this isn't some fling! And since I might not even have that time, I'm wondering if I should even bother. What if I never see him again? Naminé, don't look at me like that, I asked you to try and understand where I'm coming from!"

She nodded her head, eyes closed thoughtfully. "Kairi, your thinking is making you do stupid things. At least, that's what it sounds like right now."

I shuffled my feet and scratched my shoulder uncomfortably. "Fine… I'll admit it. I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm moving too fast with a guy I just met not even a week ago. I'm scared because I fell for said guy in such a short amount of time. I'm scared that if I took the chance, I would only end up heartbroken in the end. I'm scared that the end of my job, or if I'm _lucky,_ the end of summer would be the end of that relationship. I'm so scared, Naminé. I don't know why it's this… this terrifying, but I'm happy where I am now without taking that chance. What if I destroy my friendship with Sora? I know he likes me, but how can we be together?"

Naminé remained silent with a sympathetic look on her face. I couldn't look at her anymore, so I turned my back on her and stared at the ceiling. Why was I about to cry? All I did was admit something.

Don't cry. Please don't cry.

"Kairi? Kairi, it's okay. It's normal to be scared. It's normal to be scared when you aren't in control. And you aren't. You can't control who you like… or who you don't like." I felt as if my heart dropped momentarily, my clenched hand darting for my chest. "You can't control how fast you fall, and sometimes you feel like there's nothing to hold on to. And fearing the possible future is normal too. But… but we do these kinds of things, take these kinds of chances because there's a _possibility_ that it'll turn out better in the end. Don't you think I thought about it too, Kairi?"

I laughed humorlessly and refused to turn around. The tears were still stinging my eyes. "Psh, yeah. But you had Roxas. Roxas always liked you. He was there, growing up with you, holding your hand every day. I met Sora… what, six days ago?"

"Kairi…" she knew I didn't intend to sound mean. I knew I probably did. "Look beyond that. Don't you think I considered the possible future where things between me and Roxas didn't work out? What would happen then? Not only would I lose my boyfriend, I wouldn't have that best friend, that pillar that I was always leaning against every day of my life. Don't you think I was scared that I'd lose that? Can you imagine just for one second how I'd be if we had a falling out?"

"But it's not the same, Naminé!" I finally was able to turn around; the anger and frustration I was feeling seemed to help keep the floodgates closed. "That wouldn't happen!"

"How do you know, Kairi? Are you implying that the _possibility_ doesn't exist?" she didn't even have to raise her voice for me to shut my mouth. "Yes, Kairi, the circumstances may be different. But the fears are all the same! Kairi, you can't let the fear of a possibility stop you from doing something you want."

"But I don't know if Sora is what I want!" I practically whined.

"You don't want to try and find out?"

"I…" I blinked, wondering how I should respond. "I… I don't know. Part of me is pulling for it, just gravitating toward him. The other part— I think the bigger part of me— is saying I shouldn't. I think it all leads back to my stupid illusions about boys. I'm so hung up on…" Oh, this is so embarrassing…

"On what?"

"On my stupid notions of a perfect romance." I threw my hands up in defeat. "I really need reality to slap me across the face and tell me that Prince Charming won't come riding on horseback and immediately fall in love with me."

"For real. Instead, he comes in the form of a wet, naked, teenage boy wearing only a towel." Naminé joked. We both laughed until something hit me.

"Wait a second—" I stopped laughing; Naminé didn't. "How do you know about that?"

"Do you really have to ask?" she asked as she quietly giggled to herself. My face went hot with both embarrassment and anger. "Oh Kairi, he told me on the day you told him. And then this morning, he told me the other half of that day. How you made a bet with him."

Oh yeah. _That one._

"Great. Well, you can tell him everything I told you here, I guess."

"I won't. This is strictly between us. And that will be the case forever because I convinced him to drop the bet since it benefitted us in the long run." Before I could ask how she did that, her phone started ringing. "We've been in here too long. They probably think we're either constipated or unconscious."

"Already?" I blinked and checked myself in the mirror, making sure that the earlier signs of my stress were gone. "But we're not done."

"Apparently our session has been interrupted. We could meet you guys at the house if you'd like. I'll cook dinner. And if we have time, we can continue our conversation."

"That'd be nice." I took a deep breath. "Come on. They're probably bored. And I bet Roxas is suffering from withdrawals."

Naminé offered me a small smile. "I'm sure my Roxas isn't the only one suffering from those."

* * *

We were with Naminé and Roxas for a good amount of time before duty called. Again, since much of the car ride was drenched in silence, Sora fell asleep on the way. He didn't wake up again until we reached Miss Lockhart's house; even then, he walked inside with a child in his arms and fell asleep on the couch right after.

Since the kids had so much energy left, I took them outside for a swim. It was just like the first day, only this time we whipped out the water guns.

Ah. Thanks to times like these, I could pretend to be a secret agent without coming off as weird.

I ran around the pool with the kids, squirting and dodging like it was a real firefight. I felt like I was five again. All that mattered at the time was the need to protect myself from water shot by the other two.

I figured I wouldn't make a great secret agent when two children were able to put me in my place. Then again, when given the chance to attack the babysitter without getting in trouble, I'd totally jump on that opportunity as well.

"I want a bigger gun!" Penelo whined as she watched her shots fall short… way short… of hitting me. I laughed triumphantly as the kids stood on the opposite end of the pool, standing on the highest stair.

"Sorry, that's all we have! And I want a bigger gun too!" I demonstrated by squirting my water pistol. Watching my shots travel a total of seven feet.

Yeah, maybe that's why I was always losing these fights. I blame the equipment.

"It won't reach her!" I heard Vaan growl under his breath. I watched the two kids conspire, stare at me momentarily, and go back to harsh whispers.

"No running on the pool deck, okay?" I reminded with a smile.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

The twins suddenly jumped into the pool and started swimming toward me.

They started _swimming toward me!_ Without any little floaters at all! How adorable! I laughed at their valiant effort. Sure, they were going a little slow (let's just say it would've taken them a while to get to me), but they were doing it!

Aww, even though I had nothing to do with teaching them, I felt kind of proud!

While their faces were buried in the water, I swam a few feet forward, reducing their swimming distance by half. If they were going to swim to me to shoot me with water, then I might as well give it to them.

They reached me at about the same time, giggling cutely and hanging off my shoulders. I tucked arms under both of them, hugging them tightly and spinning them around in the water.

"Aaaah! We're trapped in a giant washing machine!" I yelled in between gasps of laughter. We kept spinning and splashing, until I eventually pulled them down with me. Resurfacing, I wiped the water from my eyes to see two smiling faces kind of… floating in front of me.

"Again again again!" they chanted. I watched the world tilt and distort, feeling a _tiny_ bit dizzy.

"Aww, I wish. I can't even see straight right now!" I released my hold and pressed my hands to the sides of my head as if to make my world steady again.

"That was fun!" Vaan released his hold on my shoulder and swam toward the wall, clutching onto it as soon as it was in reach.

"That may be the case, but I better not catch you trying to sneak into the washing machine now!" I chided playfully.

We played in the pool for a few more minutes (I had to deny the requests to play the "washing machine game" about a thousand times) before I made them get out to take a shower. Drying the kids up a little, I led them into the house wrapped in towels. Sora stood in the kitchen with a smile on his face, and one of my own instantly formed on my face.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty. How long have you been awake?"

Running his hands through his wild hair, he replied, "Enough to see you play the 'washing machine game' with these guys."

Just what I wanted my love interest to see: me emulating a cleaning machine. "Great. You happened to catch me in one of my rare loser moments." We laughed, now following the kids into the living room.

"Are you gonna take 'em up for a shower?"

"Yeah. Roxas and Naminé might call before they come by… or not. Either way, do you think you could answer the door for them just in case I'm busy?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure thing." He nodded quickly.

I turned my attention back to the kids, who were whispering to each other. "C'mon guys. Let's get to the shower!" I lightly pushed them along, climbing the stairs at a child's pace. When we reached the top, the twins stopped and turned to look at me. "Something wrong?" I asked with a hint of worry.

They shook their heads. "No. But Sora is like Roxas."

My head tilted in confusion. "Um, what?"

"And you're like Roxas's girlfriend." Vaan added with a crinkled nose. I laughed a little, not really understanding what they meant.

"Er, that's nice, I guess. What do you mean we're like Roxas and Naminé?" I turned the two around and walked them to their parents' bathroom. I felt a little low because I found two children around the age of five to be cryptic in their words. Such wise little kids.

"Because you look at each other really funny." Vaan said as he threw off his towel. I picked it up off the floor right behind him.

"What?" I asked, feigning annoyance.

"Yeah, like this!" Penelo scrunched up her face and made weird kissing noises.

"Kissy face! Kissy face!" Vaan pointed at her and laughed, and the two broke out into childish giggles together. I rolled my eyes when I realized what they meant.

Did kids also find it obvious that there's _something significant_ between Sora and me?

Well, at least they were being light with the situation. I played along. "All right you two, quiet down now! Go take your showers, and don't ever mention it ever again!"

"Is it a secret?" Penelo asked in a singsong voice.

"I know Kairi's secret!" Vaan yelled, the declaration ringing throughout the bathroom.

"Ssh!" I placed a finger over my lips, signaling to the kids, "Secrets are meant to be kept. Don't tell anyone!" Vaan nodded excitedly, while Penelo stared with a puzzled look on her face.

"But Mommy always said to— that you should," she stumbled over her words a few more times before getting out, "that you should tell people how you feel, just in case you never get the chance to later!"

"That's why we tell Mommy and Daddy we love them every phone call!" Vaan agreed from inside the shower.

The words of the twins struck a certain chord inside me. For some reason, I felt like the little kid being mentored by two wise adults. Needless to say, it was the second profound and enlightening experience I had today.

I was feeling more naïve by the second.

"Heh. You might be right."

* * *

The night was nothing unusual. As planned, Naminé and Roxas met us for dinner, which was tasty as ever thanks to my best friend's cooking. Roxas was lucky to like a girl that could cook so well. Naminé was lucky to… well, pick a guy that would bow before her if she asked.

Huh. I can't tell who wins there.

The evening conversation with Miss Lockhart was shorter than usual, probably because the kids' parents would return before noon. As soon as that finished, I took them up to bed. I figured with all the swimming they did today that they'd fall into slumber in minutes. I turned on the TV before I left, setting the volume low so it wouldn't keep them up.

I met Sora in the living room. A random movie was playing on screen, and he held out a bowl of strawberry ice cream for me. I took the bowl and the seat right next to him.

"So, today went by kind of fast, huh?" He began the conversation casually, taking his first bite of strawberry goodness.

"Yeah. The last day of my job gone by in a flash…" the wistful comment made my mind jog. "I wonder what I'll do now. I'll probably have to condition again. Miss Lockhart is gonna work my ass off for the rest of summer."

"She can't let her tennis prodigy slack off!" Sora laughed at my expense.

"Oh shut up. I wish I was a prodigy. I wouldn't have to work as hard." I could also eat this ice cream without worrying about my coach's opinion if I were a prodigy. Hard work made up ninety percent of the reason why I was the best high school tennis player.

"Yeah. I know what you mean. Those good-at-everything kids. In fact," Sora cleared his throat and flicked his hair dramatically, "I'm one of them."

"Really? What if I don't believe you and assume that you were just good at swimming?"

"Swimming only? Did you see me playing volleyball?" I think he was trying to impress me. "And you have to admit that I'm fast and agile. I'm good at anything that doesn't involve learning from a textbook. I'd be the perfect ninja machine!"

"I'm sure you would be." I said in playful skepticism. "And sorry, I totally forgot that you're really good at running away." He threw me a dirty look, giving me a turn to laugh at _his_ expense. We quietly ate our ice cream for a while before I said, "We should definitely do something before you leave."

His head rose hopefully, probably misunderstanding me. "What?"

"A sport. You know, play something together. I'm decent at a few things. And if you're such a natural at sports, why don't you and I play a tennis match?"

"Why, so you can prove that you can beat me in at least one sport?" he teased.

"Running away isn't a sport." I shot back. He pouted, crossing his arms indignantly.

Man, I always win.

"I'm up for anything." He finally said. "Whatever you have in mind, just give me the date and time. I'll try to give you a run for your money."

"Don't give yourself so much credit." I ate the last bit of my ice cream with a smile.

The rest of the night continued in that fashion. The TV was only background noise for our constant conversation and banter. I easily lost track of the time and was surprised to see that it was already past midnight.

We cleaned up after ourselves in the kitchen and made sure everything was normal-looking for the morning. After saying good night, I returned to my temporary room upstairs and began packing the rest of my stuff. I had a really bad habit of forgetting my possessions, so I made the extra note to pack everything the night before.

Packing also gave me time to think about the past week.

I never thought I'd make a new friend during a babysitting job. Hell, I never thought I'd meet said person the way I did. But looking back on it all, it's been pretty surreal. One night happens and something significantly different comes about. Feelings. The same kind I never thought I'd have for someone I met under such circumstances. The same kind that Riku admitted to me, and the same kind I had to decline. If I were to go back in time and tell my past self that my life would decide to make a one-eighty turn, I probably wouldn't believe it.

I mean, how exciting could a babysitting job be?

But it _was_ exciting. It was actually a ton of fun thanks to a new friend.

I smiled, turning a small case in my hand over and over. My stomach fluttered at the thought of him.

Sora.

If I told my past self that on the first night, I'd find some creep in a bath towel roaming the house while I was half-naked, I would laugh and wonder how in the world my future self went nuts. If I told my past self that I'd fall for the same pervert in less than a week because he just happened to be handsome, funny, entertaining, and amazing… well then my past self would find a way to alter the future so we wouldn't end up in the local asylum.

I burst out laughing at the incredulity of the past week. Looking at it objectively, I fell for some pervert that I found roaming my house circa midnight after I hopped out of a nice shower.

Yes, he was a very polite, funny, and good-looking pervert, but the fact of the matter is that we met under the strangest circumstances.

I don't even think Roxas and Naminé have a story to top that.

And now it was all coming to an end.

Tomorrow at this time, I will probably be alone in my room, preparing myself for a grueling morning. Tomorrow at this time, I'll probably be looking for someone to talk to, to share strawberry ice cream with, or meet in the living room for a random movie.

Tomorrow, I probably won't have Sora around to keep me company.

My heart sank at the realization. After living with the guy for a week, I kind of got used to his presence. Sure, we had a rough start, but it didn't take long for me to warm up to him. And yes, "warm up" is definitely an understatement, but I really enjoyed his company. And now it was just going to… stop.

The thought of it all was a little depressing. I closed my bag with a heavy sigh, finished with all my packing. What now? I had to get to bed, but… I didn't want to sleep.

But I had to. So I threw myself under the covers, turned my light off, and closed my eyes.

Minutes passed, and the high pitched silence buzzed in my ears. I turned over once, twice. I fluffed my pillow and let my head fall with a poof. I curled my legs.

Why couldn't I sleep?

I threw the covers off, growling at my current state. So sleep didn't want to cooperate with me, huh?

"Water. I'll get water." I told myself the objective. My mechanical movements dragged me to the refrigerator; suddenly I had a glass full of the clear liquid.

I took a gulp.

Okay. That was enough water for the night.

Walking around the kitchen, I made slow and quiet circles, my attention focused on the half-full glass in my hand.

I didn't come down here for this. I came down here because I was stupid.

I came down here because a small part of me was hoping that I'd find the real version of the boy in my head right here in this kitchen, helping himself to a midnight snack or something. I was hoping that I'd conveniently run into him, strike up a conversation, and find comfort in his laugh.

In reality, I came downstairs to drink a single gulp of water and make circuitous routes in a dark kitchen. Was I the only one awake? I didn't want to think so.

And so I stood in front of the door. His door. A small part of me actually considered the possibility that he might be waiting on the other side.

Wait. What was I here for?

I stopped to laugh at myself. Really now, what was I expecting? Would Sora really be awake right now?

A quiet, annoying, and rational-sounding voice said inside my head, "What's wrong with trying?"

That was why I opened the door to the basement. Because there wasn't really harm in trying. Worst possible situation? Sora would be sleeping. That's not so bad.

I couldn't see anything, despite already being adjusted to the darkness.

I swallowed hard and took my first step.

And the loudest fucking creak ever in the history of humankind pierced right through the silent blackness of the basement.

"Hello?" Sora's voice, loud and clear, responded to the intruding noise.

No use in trying to stay quiet now. If he was asleep, it would've been nice to sneak out without waking him. But I probably woke him up anyway.

My voice returned a delayed answer. "It's me."

"Oh." Silence. "Couldn't sleep either?"

Wait, either? "You were awake?" I inquired.

A soft chuckle preceded his answer, "Yeah. Though I've been trying to fall asleep for the past… oh, I dunno. What time is it now?"

"Around two." I took a few steps down and sat on a stair. I didn't know what to say after that.

"They'll be back in less than twelve hours…" Sora's voice trailed off at the end of his sentence. "Are you happy that it's finally over? I mean, not that they were bad kids or anything, but are you happy that you're done with the job?"

I thought for a bit before answering, "Yeah, I guess. It was more fun than I expected, and I'd probably do it again. I'll miss it." It helped to have you around too.

"That's good." He added as an afterthought. We sat silently for a moment.

"Hey, why did you have trouble sleeping?" I tried to find something to talk about.

"Me?" Well, no duh. Is there someone else down here? "Well, I… I was thinking. About stuff. What about you?"

Actually, the same thing. "I was packing. I brought more than one bag, so I had to make sure I had everything." I felt like a lied without actually lying. It was great. "What were you thinking about?"

"I'm guessing this is just out of curiosity or something?" even in the dark I could feel his smile and beaming expression.

"Yeah. Hey look, if you want me to get up and go, I can. Sorry for wanting to talk to you."

"You wanted to talk to me?" Oh shit. His smile probably grew wider. "Why?"

"Don't try to change the subject! I asked you what you were thinking about!"

"I think I'm more interested in why you wanted to talk to me. It'd make a more interesting conversation. Since you came down here to talk to me, then it'll be better for you too."

Why? Why why why are boys so _frustrating?_ Can I return this Sora and get a different one instead? One that isn't so damn annoying? "Why are you so…. Urgh!"

He had the audacity to laugh. "I've been called many things. 'Urgh' is a new one."

"I think I'm going to leave."

"Aww, c'mon, Kairi!" he whined. A lamplight turned on, and I saw Sora kneeling on his bed, tangled in a blanket. His outstretched hand held a remote pointing in the direction of the new light source. "I'll tell you what I was thinking about if you just tell me why you wanted to talk to me."

One look at his face threw my conviction out the window. "Fine… but you have to tell me what you were thinking about that kept you up this long."

"Agreed." He crossed his legs, and threw the sheets over himself.

I took a deep breath and turned away. "I… I wanted to talk to you because I wanted to spend more time with you. I don't know. I figured that since my job is over, we might not spend as much time together anymore. And it has actually been kind of fun. So… yeah. Just wanted to take advantage of the last few moments together, I guess." I scratched the back of my head uncomfortably, my face burning with embarrassment.

"Oh…" he replied with a shocked surprise. I felt even more awkward for saying what I did. My embarrassment swelled; I began to tear up.

No. Not in front of him, and not because of this. Nothing even happened! I was not going to cry.

"I'm gonna go n-now. I, uh… you… good night." I hastily stood up and ran up the stairs, skipping the squeaky stair. I took the next staircase one step at a time, squeezing my mouth with my hand to hold back the tears. I shouldn't be crying. There was nothing to cry about.

It's not like I told him how I felt about him. I mean, he responded _brilliantly_. That didn't add to the mortification at all.

I swiftly made my way to my room, closed the door, and threw myself face down on the bed. The pillowcase soaked up any tears that managed to escape.

I furiously wiped at my eyes, feeling no more tears. I was angrier than embarrassed now. Why didn't I just fall asleep?

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. I heard my door open.

"Kairi?" his voice called quietly. Removing my face from the pillow, I looked up to see him holding some blankets and pillows. "Kairi, you told me you wanna talk and then you just ran."

I swallowed hard, covering my eyes with my arm. Confident that my voice wouldn't betray me, I mumbled, "I got sleepy…"

He knew I was lying; hell, anyone would've known that. But he went with it anyway. "I see that." He took a few steps into the room, "I hope you don't mind me being here. I thought about what you said in what… the four seconds you gave me," I was amused enough to giggle, "and I got this stuff together. You're right. I think we should take advantage of this time. So I'm going to sleep on the floor here tonight."

I lifted my arm, a strange feeling stirring within my chest. I locked my eyes with his before asking tiredly, "Just inviting yourself over?"

Butterflies. There were butterflies in my stomach when I saw him smile. "You haven't gotten rid of me yet."

I wanted to bury my face in my pillow and scream like a little fangirl. Instead, I settled for a smile and a face palm.

After he finished, I turned off the light. No words were exchanged between us. I guess at that point, we both understood what the other wanted. All that mattered was each other's breathing.

I still couldn't sleep, but my breathing fell into a slow rhythm. I was relaxed now. Everything seemed to be at ease.

Minutes passed. The only sound besides my own was of Sora's slow breaths. I felt myself being tugged into slumber.

"Kairi, are you awake?" I heard his voice ask softly.

I was, but I chose not to respond. I was on the fringe of the conscious world; I didn't even know if it was even real. I opened my eyes slightly. I could make out his silhouette in the darkness, lying on his side and facing away from me.

To my surprise, he continued. "Guess there was some truth to you being tired, huh?" I didn't respond yet again. "You didn't even stay awake to listen to what I was thinking about. I thought you wanted to know."

I did. But I like this too. This whole 'you being right here' thing going on.

"I was thinking of you, Kairi." I blinked in shock before he laughed quietly. "I've been doing that a lot lately. And I'm kind of anxious to know what today will bring. Will I still be able to see you every day? Because I really like spending time with you and… and oh, I don't know. I just wish that I knew. As rocky as the beginning was, this week has been a blast. I was afraid I'd wake up late in the morning and find that you'd already gone."

I could tell he paused to yawn. "But knowing that you're here now… I can definitely rest easily. Maybe I'll be lucky and wake up while you're still here…" He shifted slightly, positioning himself to sleep facedown. I smiled as I watched his body rise and fall with each breath. His breath evened.

I don't know how long it took me to fall asleep, nor do I know when I did. But what I do know is that night, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

* * *

**Redeeming Endeavor: **Now, I'd like to take this moment once again to recognize some very inspirational readers. HUGE THANKS to **dearlybelovedangel, Kairi Nanami, xTwichii, ShadowSpooky, Blood Seraph, Ocean Starfly, Str1k3n01r, True-Light-San, Princess of blah blah blah, Spellbound a.k.a soragirlforever, HideYourFeathers, Telracs1994, Black-Dax, Kaze the Renegade, jenyflo5483, Naivette, Lebrezie, Yellow Gummybear, Lady Axel22, Krystal Lily Potter, TinaalovesMints (thanks for that message! It got me angry at myself and working!), ItzStorytime, Storyteller35, SiegLord, SecretAgent99, GreyPurpleBlack, mookie muffin, mattjesse, young gun kid, ILooovesToushirouHitsugayax3, ultravioletpapercuts, SilverClock, GHOST4303, and colormecrayon.  
**

I really appreciate the support. To each of you I give my most grateful thanks.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Take care, and I hope to see you around!


	14. Stupid Boy

Chapter 14: Stupid Boy

I woke up to the sound of my buzzing cell phone.

I blinked slowly. Once. Twice. Piece by piece, the world built itself around me until it formed a recognizable picture: my temporary room.

I stirred slowly, counting the rounds of vibrations my phone was loudly making on the polished wooden nightstand. I threw my hand over it and answered without looking who it was.

At this point, all that mattered was that someone interrupted me from a very good night of sleep.

"Hello?" I asked groggily. Still not awake.

"Hi Kairi! It's Miss Lockhart!" Whoa! Now I am. "Sorry to be calling so early, you still seem to be sleeping." She giggled into the phone. It would be cute and kind of funny, but if anyone knew my coach, they'd know that laugh was an unvoiced threat. Too many times has that giggle led to intensified morning workouts…

"Oh no, I was just waking up!" I cleared my voice, trying to hide any trace of sleep. The lie sounded convincing enough. "What's up?" There we go, Kairi. Get right down to business.

"Well, we had a little hold up here in Twilight Town." My heart skipped a beat.

"What do you mean?" A little flame of hope inside me burned a little brighter. "Are you delayed or something?"

"Yeah, you could say that. Cloud insisted that we go out last night to celebrate my tournament victory—"

"Wait, you won?"

"Yup! I donated all the prize money, but damn sure I'm bringing home a trophy!" she said proudly. I wanted to congratulate her on her victory (for some reason the news of this eluded me yesterday) but she continued, "Anyway, so last night Cloud decided that we should go out to celebrate. In public. He can be so dumb sometimes…"

"Er, yeah…" Maybe it was too early for me to catch the obvious. Sitting up in my bed, I asked, "So what exactly happened?"

"Well, they found us. By they I mean his fans. Somehow, news that we are leaving today leaked out, so a _ton_ of people crowded the airport today. Can you believe it? It's just a huge mess. The traffic in the area is ridiculous, and the airport is even more congested. The only solution was to fly his jet to a private airport. And that's where the delay comes in."

"Oh." I swallowed hard in anticipation. "So how long is the delay?"

"Not too long, I don't think. Hold on, let me ask him again…" I heard her yelling something away from the speaker before returning to the phone. My breathing rate increased in the small window of her absence. Was this really happening? Maybe they'd be delayed so long that I'd have the rest of today with Sora! "Yeah. It's not too long. The delay should only be about four, five hours or so."

My heart sank, and I took a gulp of air to keep from crying out. "O-Oh. That's not long at all."

"Yup! I hope it's not a problem. I know I said that I'd be back before noon today, and I would've been right had it not been for Mr. Let's-have-street-food-for-once last night. We have street food all the time, so I don't know wh… oh, listen to me. Sorry, back to the topic at hand. I'd say to expect us around the afternoon. Maybe two to three?"

I did my best to hide the disappointment in my voice. "Yeah, that sounds fine."

"Whew, thank you, Kairi. It's not a problem to watch the kids a little longer?"

"No, not at all. Yeah, I'll just let them know that you'll be a few hours late. I'll think of something to occupy their time."

"Thanks! I'll pay you for today too, since it's such an inconvenience." I wanted to tell her that was extremely wrong, but I bit my tongue, "I'll call you when I land, okay?"

"Sure, Miss Lockhart."

"Great. Talk to you later, Kairi. Tell the kids I said sorry!"

We hung up. My hand fell into my lap, still clutching my phone. In the span of about three hundred seconds, I went from hopeful and elated to disappointed and… deflated. Or something.

I sighed. Rubbing my face with my hands, I tried to make everything sink in so I could move on.

I would be spending extra time with Sora… but it'd only be for a few hours.

I peeked over the side of my bed to see Sora still asleep. He was hugging one of pillows so tightly that it looked like a giant bowtie. I fought the urge to jump on him or do something obnoxious to wake him up and instead chose to stare at him for a solid minute.

Yeah, that was a little creepy of me. Imagine waking up to a girl staring at you with this weird, goofy smile on her face… ugh. Personally, that's not my cup of tea.

With that in mind, I quietly got out of bed and made my way downstairs. I was still on the job. Making breakfast for everyone was just one part of it.

* * *

"Please, I didn't mean to! Just let me— eek!"

Searing hot oil splattered from the frying pan, making me hit the deck in extreme, unadulterated fear for about the seventh time.

Have you ever tried to cook bacon? I never had before. As such, I didn't know cooking such a delicious breakfast food was so risky and dangerous. Who knew that it'd actually _attack_ the cook for trying to survive? Safe to say, I learned a valuable lesson at that particular moment.

Bacon, as a tasty part of a complete and balanced breakfast, will not go down without a fight. And boy, does it fight.

Oh, how it fights.

Actually, the whole morning breakfast thing was a wreck. I knew I wasn't a good cook, but I thought that maybe frying eggs and bacon were in my league. Microwaving oatmeal and toasting bread was. Why not frying?

Again, it was a total wreck. I tried to make omelets (fry egg and fold over right? Wrong!), but the whole folding bit? Yeah, I don't know how those people on TV make it look so easy. I ended up with this weird, deformed… thing with a cheese slice sitting inside, slowly melting as if my failure were to blame for its demise. So what did I do? I scrambled it.

So that wasn't so bad. Instead of an omelet, it was scrambled eggs… with cheese.

And that brings us to the bacon. I opened the package, saw the bacon strips, and figured all I had to do was lay them out on the pan and let it fry, flipping when appropriate. Like pancakes.

But there's a difference between bacon and pancakes. One, pancakes are round. And two, pancakes don't throw a _hissy fit and try to burn you_ when they're cooked.

Hot oil made contact with my arms at least three times. Safe to say that I now feared for my life. Sora and the twins would find me dead on the floor with third degree burns, and three burnt slices of bacon reveling in their victory.

"What in the world are you _doing?_" an amused voice called me from above.

I lifted my head to see Sora, his hair a bigger mess than usual, with his arms crossed in mirth. "I'm hiding."

He raised a brow quizzically, "From what?"

I pointed to the frying pan with my cooking utensil. "From the bacon. I think it's mad at me. It… it keeps burning me!" I whined. He laughed at me then, offering a hand to help me up. I took it, stood up, and cleverly made my way around him so that he stood between me and the infernal stove of doom.

"You're so dramatic." He shook his head, rubbing his eyes and smiling brilliantly at what must've been my stupidity.

"Oh yeah? Well why don't you try to cook that stuff? I guarantee you'll get hurt."

He shrugged. "Okay."

"Huh?"

"I said okay. Hand over the tongs." He held out his hand in front of him. I stared blankly.

"The what?"

He laughed again. I obviously missed the amusing part. "The thing you're holding. The tongs."

I looked at the utensil in my right hand. So that's what it's called! "Oh! Here you go then." I gingerly handed them over. He thanked me, quickly turning around and flipping the bacon strips in the pan.

They didn't resist him.

"How did you— eek!" The bacon spat at us, and I instinctively hid behind Sora's frame for cover.

"How did I what?" he turned around casually as if a mini bomb in the frying pan did not just go off a few seconds ago.

"Have you no sense of self-preservation? That thing is throwing a fit again!" I pointed an accusing finger at the pan behind him.

"It's no big deal. The oil won't cause any serious burn. Besides, it rarely lands on me." Well, I wish I could say the same about myself.

"Aren't you my knight in shining armor? I'm so impressed by your manliness I'm having hot flashes."

"Well Miss Kairi, I'm faring much better than you." He caught my sarcasm and grinned. "Perhaps you'd like to finish the cooking you started? After all, I volunteered to cook after finding you on the floor. I figured you were looking for help."

"Well, I wasn't exactly looking. And no thanks, continue doing your manly thing there. I'd rather not start breakfast with bandages from my burns."

He rolled his eyes, turning around to face the stove yet again. "Since when have you been such a huge drama queen?"

"Since forever. You just happen to learn a new thing about me every day."

"Of course. Now go and get the kids. They're probably gonna wake up soon."

"What about the food?" The toaster chose the appropriate moment to finish the bread, ringing in the corner.

"I got it from here."

I started to feel bad. Sure, I was being all I-hate-cooking earlier, but I didn't intend to dump it all on him. "But—"

"Go, Kairi. Really, I think you either don't know, or you probably missed the memo."

"What?" he ignored what I said, lightly pushing me out of the kitchen. "Sora, what are you talking about?"

"You haven't heard, Kairi?" he took in the sight of my confused face, smiled, and returned to the stove. "The queen doesn't cook."

The kids woke up to find their babysitter smiling and giggling like an idiot.

* * *

The kids responded well to the news of their parents' late arrival; I wish they responded like that to the food. It sort of went like this:

"So I made breakfast for everyone! First, there's scrambled eggs and cheese, toast, bacon… if you don't like any of those, I can make oatmeal too… and what do you guys want to drink? I can make hot chocolate, there's orange juice, chocolate milk…" I stopped speaking and waited for a response.

Two vacant stares.

"…Can we eat Fruity Pebbles?"

I should have seen it coming.

If one good thing came out of it, it was that I shared the breakfast with Sora (with, of course, the Sora Special). The kids were more concerned with watching their morning cartoons; and, seeing as how I too freaked out over morning cartoons, I let them watch whatever they showed on TV these days.

"The eggs turned out really good!" Sora ate the last of his scrambled eggs with a content smile. "I thought you said you couldn't cook."

"If you must know, I wanted to make it an omelet. Things went awry and I just… improvised." I ran a hand through my hair, telling myself that I should remain calm instead of gushing over the fact he just complimented me. It's all about composure.

"Well, even better. Your cooking mistake still turned out to be yummy." He ate a piece of bacon whole and met my eyes with a grin.

Okay, he's either after something, or he's just on a roll right now. I couldn't help but laugh, "Stop. You're just saying that. And you're a guy. Judging from my experiences with all the guys, your species will eat anything that's put on a plate."

"That's not true. Not _anything._" He waved his fork in his hand for emphasis.

I giggled, shaking my head in mock disappointment. "You obviously missed the point I was trying to make."

"And you, Kairi, keep missing the fact that your food, however accidental it was, is still good."

"Touché."

Sora really did end up eating two-thirds of everything we made. Sad part is, he definitely would've eaten more had it been available to him.

We cleaned up, dividing the work evenly. As we did, I explained how Miss Lockhart would be coming in late due to some silly delay. He didn't really react much to any of it, but nodded as he listened to the story. I helped him gather all the stuff he brought upstairs too, a task that didn't take much time at all. We parted when I told him that I'd have to get the kids ready.

Everything passed in a blur, surprisingly enough. I thought it would be one of those days when all your obligations finally end and everything drags. But before I knew it, I had the kids cleaned up, dressed out of their pajamas, and climbing down the stairs to the basement screaming about ping pong.

Yes, that was Sora's suggestion. I had no idea how to entertain the kids for another four hours, so he recommended that I bring them down to the "basement of awesomeness," as he called it.

Really though, it was a big TV, a ping pong table, and video games. I've seen better.

And so we played. Once again it was another kind of situation, one in which we had no idea how to spend the final guaranteed hours to hang out.

Time passed quickly. The kids wanted to see me play "tennis" against Sora, something that he responded to with equal enthusiasm. Let's just say that my tennis skills don't transfer well to a smaller table.

"I thought you said you were good at this."

The taunt was met with narrow eyes. "Excuse me. I'm taking it easy on you. And does this look like a tennis court to you?"

"It's something extremely similar." He served the ball, which I whipped back as hard as I could while aiming for the table. He somehow managed to return it. Go figure, I missed it.

"Yes! Sora wins!" Vaan cheered as he jumped out of his seat.

Sora gave him a high five. "Boys rule!" He turned to me with a smile on his face, raising his arms in a taunting manner. "All day, baby. All day."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Whatever. When we get to the real court, we'll see who's talking."

"Oh, it couldn't possibly be more disgraceful than a loss of over ten points." He rubbed it in a little more, bouncing as he stood beside me.

"Whatever."

"Yes, I've seen this before. Another person rendered speechless at my amazing athletic abilities."

"Because I'm so impressed you could beat me at ping pong."

"Excuse me?" he turned around in mock disgust. "It's called _table tennis_."

After playfully shoving the cocky boy out of my way (he was forced to take a step back, but it wasn't satisfying at all since he was laughing the whole time). While Sora cleaned up after all of us, I took the kids upstairs to wait out the final hour.

"Kairi, can we make pictures for Mommy and Daddy when they come back?" Penelo grabbed my hand with her smaller ones and swung it back and forth, begging for permission.

"You mean like posters?" I didn't see the harm in that. "If you want. Just bring everything into the kitchen so we don't make a huge mess, okay?"

"Yes!" The two children loudly ran up the stairs to collect their art supplies. I waited in the kitchen for their return. Within a few minutes, the twins were wobbling towards me holding different sizes of paper and an assortment of markers and crayons.

"Wow. How many are we making?" The paper ranged from poster size to standard computer paper. And there was a _lot_ of it.

"Enough to fill the whole living room!" Vaan reluctantly informed me. "Why would we make less for Mommy and Daddy?"

I laughed, reaching over the table to ruffle his hair. "Aww, of course. You're right, Vaan. Nothing less for Mommy and Daddy."

For the rest of the hour, I helped the kids with their projects. Sora eventually came back upstairs, but resigned himself to watching from a short distance away, slightly tilting his head in observation. The kids made noisy requests for bubble letters, hearts, spirals, and a few other objects I'd grown accustomed to thanks to a few history classes.

The twins didn't need my help with coloring, so I sat back and watched them drag different colored markers across the papers, filling out the shape and growling when the colors escaped the lines. I felt bad for them: even to this day, coloring outside the lines makes me want to rip my hair out.

My phone rang suddenly, startling everyone in the room. Laughing lightly, I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey Kairi! We're here!" My coach's voice excitedly informed me. My eyes widened and I jolted out of my seat.

"You mean you're outside?" I made my way to the front door, looking through a window to check for a limousine. "I don't see you guys."

"Well, that's because we're only just arriving at the mountain. Jeez Kairi, how about you wait until I finish next time?" She got a laugh at my expense. "Anyway, we should probably be at the front door within the next twenty minutes. Are my kids awake?"

"Yeah, they haven't napped yet or anything."

"Good. Well, you can let them know we'll be there soon. Or you can make it a surprise!" Someone mumbled incoherently in the background. "Oh be quiet, you. Anyway Kairi, I'll see you in a bit! And don't come outside, I want to surprise the kids. Just wait inside, okay?"

"Y-yeah! See you soon." I hung up the phone and walked back to the kitchen to find Sora at the table, coloring a poster furiously. The kids also seemed like they stepped it up a notch as well.

"What's the rush?"

"Aren't they going to be home soon? They're not outside yet, are they?" Sora asked without stopping his coloring. "Their posters aren't finished yet."

"Oh." I blinked twice before picking up a marker. "We probably have twenty minutes, less even."

"But we still have to put the pictures up!" Penelo whined. She was almost on the verge of tears!

"Whoa, it's okay, Penny! Look! We only have two posters left to color. If we all color them, it'll be done in ten minutes. We'll have enough time to put everything up, all right?"

She nodded, frowning deeply and holding back some tears.

Just as predicted, we managed to complete all the posters. Sora and I went around taping them to wherever the twins wanted them. Only a few posters made it to eye level, but that was okay. The kids were happy with it anyway.

And then the front door opened.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone screamed at once. Miss Lockhart and her husband, with smiles frozen on their face, caught their kids in their arms.

"Did we surprise you? Did we surprise you?" the twins excitedly asked their parents, hugging them tightly.

"Yeah, you did. We were very surprised." Cloud— Miss Lockhart's husband— whatever I should call him, ruffled Vaan's hair. "I didn't see that coming at all."

"I thought we were going to surprise you guys!" my teacher laughed. "I think you guys won that one though… thank you, Kairi. And hello, Sora!"

"Hey Tifa!" he waved casually. "Cloud."

The actor turned to him, hiding his smile. "How are you doing, Sora?"

"I'm pretty fine myself." He grinned, folding his hands behind his head. "You glad to be back?"

He looked around the room, taking in all the pieces of paper taped to the walls and his screaming kids running circles around him. "Yes," he shrugged a little, "but I think that in about five minutes I'll be wishing I was still on vacation."

* * *

"And I nailed him_ square_ in the face for… what was it hon?"

"The third time."

"The third time! And he finally stumbled." Miss Lockhart animatedly explained her final match in the kitchen. They had been home for about an hour now, and I found myself sitting at the table with a movie star and the boy I happened to like, listening to what may be perceived as a crazy lady demonstrating strange gyrations.

"So wait, he stumbled and they ended the match?" Sora quizzically raised a brow, taking a sip from a soda can.

"Sora!" my teacher stood in mock insult, arms akimbo. "I thought you knew me better than that!"

"I don't know! Maybe since he was so hard to knock off balance he might've countered you or something!"

"Tifa, just go on and explain the rest of the match." Her husband sighed, waving his hand in the air. I'm sitting at a table with Cloud Strife, everyone.

"Fine. So as soon as he lost his balance, I had him. I only got three hits in before they stopped the match. Both he— my opponent— and the judges knew it was over anyway. He wasn't a sore sport about it either, which was a relief. He seriously got some good hits on me."

"And he was the only one to do so too." Cloud spoke with a nod.

"He was! Check this out." She lifted her shirt to reveal a large nasty-looking bruise along the right side of her rib cage. "That had to be the hardest hit I've ever received in years."

"That's because you retired from fighting for a few years." Sora rolled his eyes, grinning at his own sarcasm.

"I'm getting sick of your sass, little boy. Maybe—"

"Kairi, you've been awfully quiet in this conversation." I suddenly found myself looking into the eyes of someone I was used to seeing on the silver screen. "Is something wrong?"

I blinked twice. "Huh? Me?"

He craned his neck to look down the hallway. "Yeah, I suppose. Are there more of you in here?"

"Oh! N-no, I'm fine. Just listening…" three pairs of doubtful eyes settled on me. "Okay, I just feel out of place. I feel like I'm intruding on a family reunion or something. You guys are so comfortable with each other and everything and I… I thought I knew Miss Lockhart since she's been coaching me since forever, but suddenly there's this whole life I've never been aware of and it's just shocking. I'm still getting used to it."

"Aww, why didn't you say so earlier? We would have shut up five minutes ago!" Sora grinned.

"No, I didn't have a problem with the topic! Just… I was fit to observe than participate. You guys," I looked to Cloud and Miss Lockhart, "seem to be very close to Sora."

"We'll have all day to catch up, Kairi. It's no big deal."

"I know what you want. I think you deserve your paycheck right about now." Cloud got up and rummaged through his wife's purse. She in turn took his seat at the table.

"So how was the job? Did you have to babysit this one more than the kids?" Sora pried his aunt's hand off his head, shouting in protest. "I imagine he was tougher to deal with than my own kids."

"Wow, are all old people as mean as you?" Sora dodged a slap from the woman, his laugh mixing with Cloud's.

"He was definitely a handful." I smiled mischievously at the brunet. "I had to remind him over and over that we were not allowed to put a slip n' slide inside the house."

"Ugh, go figure." She flipped her hair, pretending to be disgusted.

"Excuse me. First of all, it wasn't a slip n' slide I was suggesting. It was a bounce house. Get your facts _straight._" Sora played along, trying to keep a straight face. "And I for one think that it's a practical idea. You could jump _and_ watch TV at the same time."

"Point taken." Cloud pointed at Sora with an envelope. "I didn't feel like doing the math per hour, so I just paid you for eight days."

I reluctantly took the envelope and a pouch with the munny inside. "Are you sure? You know this amounts to like, double what I would have been paid, right?"

He turned to his wife, "Do you have any objections?"

With a shaking head she replied, "I think she deserves it. After all, we had her babysit one more child while the kids were at camp. Anyone with the patience to babysit this child deserves to be a millionaire."

Cloud dropped himself into a nearby seat. "I guess that explains why we're loaded."

Sora rolled his eyes, but managed to grin. "Obviously. It can't possibly be the acting talent. Rather, some higher power is rewarding you for taking care of this devil's spawn."

"My gosh, he's so cranky!"

I laughed so much after the conversation turned on Sora. Miss Lockhart and Cloud were apparently very involved in Sora's life as he grew up, and despite the lack of any blood relation, they were closer than a lot of the traditional families.

I learned that Sora's father, a man named Zack Fair, was Cloud's best friend growing up. Sora's mother, Dr. Aerith Gainsborough as I remember, was a friend of both Miss Lockhart and Cloud. The trio casually revealed that Aerith became pregnant at the age of eighteen; something I thought would hold more gravity or at least some privacy.

"She was lucky. She grew up in a wealthy, supportive family, and she had Zack. He wouldn't leave her for anything." Miss Lockhart explained with a tone of admiration. "She was brilliant too. She graduated high school at sixteen, and I don't think I've ever met someone stronger."

"Zack… not so much." Cloud and the others laughed. "I don't know how it happened, but they became an item. And I guess one thing led to another…"

"Did they get married?" I asked quietly. I felt like I was intruding, but at the same time I was curious.

"After I was born." Sora smiled. "I never got to know my father though. He died in a car accident when I was two. I don't remember much about him either." He continued quickly when my expression sank. "Don't worry about it! We're pretty open about this whole thing. Yeah, we were very lucky that we turned out so… normal, I guess. But my mom is a strong believer in giving people chances."

"But your father…"

"I don't find it too bad. He's in a better place now, right? Besides, even though he derailed my mom's life," The way he said it showed he didn't find the whole matter inconvenient at all, "he stuck around and convinced their families to help her. To me, he's already filled out his fatherly duties. My parents loved each other. That's really all I ever would have asked of him." Sora folded his hands behind his head and put on a smile.

I smiled back, reassured that he wasn't bothered. The two adults looked at us for a few moments before getting up. "Well, it's been great talking with you guys, but I'll be going upstairs for a nap." Cloud stretched and walked off. "Kairi, I'll get you an autographed photo when I find some cheesy picture of myself. Sound good to you?"

"Uh, y-yeah! That's perfectly fine!" I nodded quickly.

"Kairi, practice resumes tomorrow morning. The usual conditioning. Got it?"

"Definitely. See you tomorrow, Miss Lockhart."

"Yup! And thanks for watching the kids for us. We really appreciate it. Stick around as long as you want, okay?" She smiled, tucking her black hair behind her ears.

"All right." I nodded. Sora and I were left in the kitchen, soda cans in hand.

"How much longer are you staying?" Sora turned the can in his hand, staring intently at it.

"I'm probably heading out now…" I tapped the sides of my can with my fingers and eyed my suitcases sitting at the door.

It was really over. The pouch in my hand proved it.

"Will you need help with those?" Sora stood up and pointed to the suitcases. I couldn't read his expression.

"Y-yeah. Do you mind?"

He smiled, slowly shaking his head. "Not at all."

And then we were outside. Just like that, I was watching him load my belongings into the trunk of my car. After closing the trunk, he rubbed his hands together with a small smile.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it." I smiled back.

This was the moment of truth. I braced myself. Would he do something? Does he know how much I want him to act? To ask me out, to tell me he likes me… heck, I'd even take a kiss right now.

Please do something.

"So… I was wondering…" he scratched the back of his head.

Oh my gosh.

"Yes?" I fought the temptation to smile even more. Was this really happening? Please just say it already.

"Tomorrow… I was just… uh…"

I giggled, though whether it was over anticipation or nervousness, I couldn't remember. "Go on…"

"You know, I… uh…"

Please just do something. Ask me. Tell me. Kiss me.

Just _do something._

I held my breath when he finally looked me in the eyes. Was this it?

"Sora?" I almost whispered. This was it, wasn't it? HE was going to whisk me away in his arms and kiss me, or embrace me in a hug and tell me how much he's grown to like me, or—

He sighed. "I-I'll see you tomorrow, I guess. Er, right?"

My heart sank. _Fast._ It fell into the pits of my stomach.

"Y-yeah." I barely managed to say. "That's likely." I felt like crying.

That was it, wasn't it? The moment came by, the perfect opportunity to ask me out, kiss me… do _something_… it just went, didn't it?

"I guess I'll uh… I'll see you later…" he scratched the back of his head, his eyes cast downward.

"Yeah. Bye, Sora."

And that was it. He turned to walk into the house; I got in my car and drove away.

* * *

I threw myself on my bed and sighed.

Why did I even expect anything?

"Why was I so stupid!" I groaned, turning myself over and screaming into a pillow.

Yes, I was home now, reprimanding myself for even hoping, wishing, expecting, wanting, _praying_ for that stupid boy to do something.

Have you ever encountered something so ridiculous that you either laughed until you cried or simply just cried? That was me. The stupidity of boys was just astounding.

_Why_ did I even build up an expectation? That's not thinking realistically at all. This isn't some fucking fairy tale where the guy will actually have a pair and ask you out when you want him to. No, this is real life, where despite the signs you practically shove in his face, he still won't get. Where no matter how much you want him to _act_ and appear in all that shiny armor, he'll stand there oblivious to everything you've laid out right in front of him. Why are they so _dumb?_

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid,_ STUPID SORA!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. My pillow was damp with tears. Great. So my pillow has to suffer for this too. Sorry pillow.

It's not that hard. Guys are so caught up in making a girl happy that they miss the obvious. All I want is for him to tell me he likes me, or show me that… hell, ask me out and be vague about it if he must! I just want to see some _doing!_ That's all I was asking for. I wasn't asking for a diamond ring, a bouquet of flowers, a new house, or anything that girls love.

I was asking for a response. Proof that this stupid boy I fell for liked me back.

And he couldn't even give me that. He couldn't give me the one thing that would have made me the happiest girl in the world that day. No, instead I get a "I'll see you tomorrow."

What the hell is that?

I furiously wiped at my tears when I heard my phone ringing. I checked to see the caller. Riku.

Sorry pal, but I'm not in the mood for your species right now.

I continued to cry into my pillow, angry at Sora and all his uselessness. Why is it so hard to find a guy that will ask you out when you want him to? It's easy to find a creep willing to stalk you, but finding the guy who pays attention to detail and catches what I think are _extremely_ obvious signs (I mean, hello? I ate the ice cream off his spoon! Would I do that to Riku? Hell no!).

My phone rang again.

Sora.

"Fuck no." I growled, throwing my phone on the floor. Everything around me was receiving the brunt of my ranting. "Well I blame Sora!" I yelled indignantly. "He didn't… he should've… he was supposed to be…" The sobs started escaping. My body wracked every time I tried to hold them back.

He was supposed to have asked me out by now. I was supposed to be in his arms right now. I should've been his girlfriend. I wanted him to be my boyfriend.

All of that could've come true if he did something. In reality, none of it happened.

"Why… why did I ever believe in him…"

* * *

My phone ripped me from a somewhat peaceful nap.

Selphie.

"Hello?" I practically croaked into the phone.

"Whoa, did I dial the wrong number? Is this Kairi?"

"This is Kairi." I recited tiredly after rolling onto my stomach. "What do you want, Selphie?"

"I can't call a friend to join me at the park every now and then? Why are you so cranky and whiny today? Is it coming?"

"No, Selphie. It's not. And I just don't feel like doing anything today." At least, not anymore.

"You know what I say to that? Bull. The guys went off to have a sausage fest or something and I'm left all alone at the park. Entertain me."

What did I do wrong to deserve this?

"Just let me die alone here…" I rolled off my bed onto the floor. The cold, hard floor where I belong.

"Okay, enough. You're being melodramatic." Maybe I am, but I'm also being tortured by thoughts of some stupid boy who doesn't do what I want him to. "What happened to you? You're not normal."

"Your mom's not normal…" I mumbled with a dry laugh. Ho, I'm reaching a new low…

Thankfully, Selphie laughed. "Well, that's a start. C'mon Kairi. It's a nice day outside. Walk to the park, get some fresh air. If you stay cooped up like that, you'll be depressed all day."

"I'm not depressed. I'm…" I tried to think of another word, but failed. "Okay, so maybe I'm a little down."

"Nothing a little sunshine can't fix! Get outside! We have to make the most of this summer!"

I managed to break a smile. "Do I have to?"

"I'll buy you ice cream…" Selphie sang.

I laughed this time. "Fine. I'll get up now."

"Yes! Meet me at the Roxas and Naminé tree, okay?"

"Definitely. Oh, and Selphie?"

"Yes, Kairi dearest?"

I sighed, feeling a little better. "Thanks."

She was silent for a short moment before giggling, obviously flattered. "No problem. I'll see you in a few minutes!"

* * *

I was feeling a lot better after the distance to the park. Selphie was quick to greet me and wasted no time in getting ice cream.

I promptly chose cookies and cream. I wasn't really in the mood for strawberry.

And I ended up telling Selphie everything relating to Sora. I left out the details that we were living in the same house for a week, but Selphie was fully informed in anything and everything I felt and thought about regarding Sora. I especially liked how she was on my side on just about everything. Words can't express how thankful I get when someone is willing to listen to me rant, especially if it's about boys.

She also apologized for pretending to chase him. Not that I cared at all. That boy wouldn't realize you were interested if you watched him shower.

Which would be a nice—

Never mind.

The conversation soon drifted all over the place. Selphie invited me to join her at a party with a bunch of the girls, but I wasn't in the 'big group' mood.

"Well why don't you hang out with Roxas and Naminé then? I called them earlier and I don't think they were doing anything important. Heck, we could even spy on them!" Selphie's eyes flashed for a second as she considered the option.

"No we can't. You know that it's off limits to spy on them when they're at home. That's when it becomes stalking."

She nodded slowly. "Of course it is."

"But I might take that first suggestion. You know, the hanging out part. I want to rant to as many friends as possible about boys."

"Even Roxas?" Selphie adjusted the shopping bag on her arm.

"Yeah, even him. I think it'd do him well to hear from a girl or two. Then again, he finally got on the ball there."

"Oh, don't remind me!" Selphie gushed. "They are _so_ adorable. Like cuter than I ever would have thought."

I laughed, nodding in agreement. "I think that we deserve some credit."

"Yes, as careful observers who knew that such a day would come about. And hey, if Roxas could do it, so could Sora!"

I looked at Selphie and stared for a good three seconds before groaning and rolling my eyes. "Ugh. I don't even know if I want him to do anything anymore. I'm over him."

It was her turn to scoff and roll her eyes. "Ha, that's cute. You're so funny Kairi. But I know you better than that. You would not pass up that hot piece of—"

"I apparently passed up Riku." I noted quietly.

"Yes, but—"

"And probably two more guys from your list of 'top ten guys at our school' too."

"Which I went over with you, I made in freshman year and things are now different—"

"So I am totally over him."

"Sora? You mean the guy over there?" Selphie pointed behind me, and I quickly whipped around to face him.

Only to find no one there.

"Seriously, Kairi. He's different and you know it."

"Selphie, I don't like you anymore."

"We can't help who we like. There's nothing to be ashamed of.

I beg to differ. "There's everything to be ashamed of! I fell for an _idiot_ who can't tell the difference between flirting and talking."

"Yeah, but aren't all guys that dumb?" Selphie raised a brow and cringed slightly, probably expecting a lot of backlash.

"Not Riku."

"Well you didn't want Riku. Did you ever?"

I continued walking, casting my eyes to the floor. "No. I haven't."

"So there's no use in killing yourself over this! You need to give him another chance."

Oh no. Where in the world is this heading to? "Selphie, I thought you were on my side!"

"I am on your side, Kairi!" she said exasperatedly. Due to her animated speech, she readjusted her bags for the umpteenth time. "And I want what's best for you. Or rather, what will make you happy."

"Yeah, and I stupidly depended on Sora for that. Look where that got me." I said sarcastically.

She looked around. "Downtown? If you ask me, that's not too bad."

"Oh you know what I mean!" Our pace slightly quickened as I resisted every urge to stomp off like a child.

"Okay, Kairi. I know this is the first time you ever liked a guy, so I think you need some advice. How long have you known Sora?"

"…For like a week." I answered dumbly.

She leaned closer to me, drawing out the letters of her words. "And… how many chances have you given him a chance to tell you how he feels?"

"Like a buncha times." I said dismissively. I didn't know. I wasn't counting.

"Hon, you gave him one." Selphie said smartly. "You know who gave her man a billion chances? Naminé did."

"Selphie, I wasn't comparing myself to—"

"Well I am. IF you really like a guy, you'll give him more than one chance. How many girlfriends did Roxas have before Naminé?" I didn't answer; we both knew. "And I know you know this: how many girlfriends did Sora have before… well, _liking_ you?"

"None…" I mumbled so incoherently I didn't even understand.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear." A smile slowly spread across her face as she leaned closer again.

"Okay, okay! None! I get it!" I said in frustration. "Ugh, Selphie, you're confusing me!"

"Kairi, hon, I'm teaching you. Do you have any idea how many relationships would be nonexistent if everyone only got one chance? How fair is it to immediately dismiss someone's chance just because they didn't make the appointment, _especially_ since you'll see him again in the near future? You've got to be understanding, Kairi. You have to be willing to _work_ with your significant other. Love—"

"Isn't easy. I know." I let my hair fall around my face, staring at the ground once again. Selphie stopped, looked at me with pity, and took me over to a bunch. I felt like bursting into tears. "I want a double date with Ben and Jerry right now."

"Kairi, I'm so sorry… I got carried away, I'm sorry…"

"No, it's not your fault. It's okay." I rubbed her back, laughing quietly. "If this keeps up, we'll both be a crying mess." She laughed, shaking her head.

"This took such an emotional turn…" she mumbled is disbelief. Then she focused again. "Kairi, do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?"

"That I'm stupid for only giving a stupid boy only one chance to prove himself?"

She drew back slightly before nodding slowly. "Well, I was more hinting that you were _madly in love_ with him, but I suppose that works too."

I gave her a light shove, trying to keep a smile from surfacing. "No you weren't."

"Aww, is Kairi blushing?" I covered my face with my hands and looked down. She easily pried them off before cooing again. "Aww, she is! Kairi is getting all red over a boy! So adorable!"

"Selphie!" I whined like a child. "Stop it already!" We burst out into laughter.

Gosh, moments like these make people turn heads and think "Those girls have mental issues. They were about to cry just a few seconds ago."

I love those moments.

"So do you know what Dr. Selphie recommends?" my brunette friend clasped her hands together and dropped them onto her lap.

"I don't know, that I speak in the third person?"

"You need to see Roxas and Naminé. A surprise visit. I've diagnosed you with lovesickness, so maybe watching two, lovesick fools will help you."

I looked at her, raising a brow in confusion. "How?"

"Watch how they handle it. Learn how to combat the disease, Kairi!" she threw a few punches before I stopped her.

"Okay, you're embarrassing me now." We laughed, and she once again adopted her reserved appearance.

"Since you don't want to hang out with the girls today, let me take you there. Take notes or something." She stood up, straightening out her skirt as we decided to leave.

"Notes? On what?"

She laughed, leading me toward the exit. "On how happy they are now, silly."

* * *

It wasn't hard to figure out where the couple was. They were washing Naminé's car in her driveway. Both of us freaked out when we saw them outside, especially since Naminé was chasing Roxas around with the hose. Selphie pulled into a neighbor's driveway about two houses down.

"Is this legal?"

"Hell if I know. But I want to observe the new Roxas and Naminé in their natural habitat."

I turned to her in shock. That was weird, even for Selphie. "You're starting to creep me out."

"Oh hush. This should be a reality show."

"I can't believe they didn't notice us yet."

"It's because all they can see is each other." Selphie wistfully sighed. I laughed and shook my head. "Whoa. Kairi, look! Look at them!" She shook me violently to emphasize the point.

I looked up in time to see Roxas pinning Naminé against the car, the both of them laughing as they fought for the hose.

In about three seconds the hose fell to the floor, forgotten. In the next seven, I assumed they forgot that they were washing the car.

"Whoa." I was speechless.

Selphie, on the other hand, whistled. "Damn. Check out that lip lock. It's kind of hot."

I stared unabashed before I finally snapped myself out of the trance. "Okay, this is definitely illegal. And now I feel like I was just exposed to live porn."

"They didn't even do anything!" Selphie craned her neck to try and look over me, but I blocked her view. "Ugh, fine. Go be a party pooper and stop them."

I threw Selphie one last look before getting out of the car stealthily making my way to their driveway.

Lucky for me, they were a bit distracted.

As I walked, I thought of a ton of witty lines I could use. Maybe a little pun on car washing and kissing by saying "I'm pretty sure you're doing it wrong" or "is this the neighborhood block party?" Instead of those, I settled with something a little tamer.

"Well!" I yelled louder than I intended. Oops. The two blondes, blushing madly, parted like the Red Sea.

Heh, see what I did there?

All right. Bad joke. I know.

"K-Kairi! Uh, what are you doing here?" he scratched the back of his head, obviously distressed.

"I just decided to drop by—"

The sound of an obnoxious car horn interrupted me. Two houses down, the window of a started car revealed Selphie. "Yeah, Roxas! Get some!" we heard her yell and cackle.

"Oh my gosh, you brought Selphie." Naminé covered her face in her hands.

"Actually, she brought me." I corrected. I'm pretty sure they didn't care.

"I feel as if I were violated by the paparazzi." Roxas groaned as we watched Selphie drive away.

"I'm going to avoid her for the next few days…" Naminé resolved. She then turned to me, trying to compose herself. "So what brings you here?"

"Lots of things. I was feeling a little down earlier, I was lonely, I was bored. And then Selphie invited me to a girl's night out, but I wasn't in the mood. And of course," My eyes flashed over to Roxas for a second before meeting Naminé's again, "problems."

Like a good (or typical) boy, Roxas was totally oblivious.

Naminé wrapped her arms around Roxas from behind, burying her face in his back. "Roxas, can you dry the car off? Kairi and I have something to discuss alone."

He looked at me for a brief moment before answering. "Yeah. Do whatever you need to do."

I thanked him as I passed, following Naminé into her kitchen. She poured each of us a glass of water.

"I see you guys are progressing nicely." I joked as she handed me my glass. "If I had known I'd be interrupting, I wouldn't have come."

"We don't— normally we— you know what, you caught us in a rare moment that probably won't ever happen again." She took a huge gulp, turning her back to me. "I can't believe we didn't notice you two."

I smirked, mumbling under my breath. "You never were too good at noticing us anyway…"

She whipped around, "Did you say something?"

"Nope!" I played an innocent look. She bought it. "You're happy though, right?"

A smile slowly spread across her face like a reflex. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she answered quietly, "Yeah. I'm very happy, actually. It's kind of ridiculous."

An indescribable feeling clenched my heart.

"That's great to hear."

"Kairi, what's wrong?" She got right to the point, leaning on her counter. "What happened to you?"

I looked at her. She stared back. "I built up my hopes for some stupid boy to destroy them all."

And then it came out like a flood. I told her everything, starting from the wonderful morning and how the day went downhill with a complete letdown when I left. Naminé was the perfect support: she sat there silently and listened to everything I had to say.

"Kairi, I don't know what to say…" She felt bad, that much I could tell, but she was also uncomfortable. "I didn't think that would happen—"

"Don't think it's your fault or anything!" I quickly stated. "It's just— ugh, I can't believe I led myself in that direction and I feel really, really stupid and embarrassed and I just wish it never happened!" I rambled.

"Maybe he just got scared. Maybe there was something else on his mind, or… you know I had to wait for that one," she nudged her head in Roxas's general direction "for years. Maybe he's wondering if you like him or something."

"Yeah, that may all be true, but come on!" I threw my head back in frustration. "That's not an excuse! How come boys have to be completely— _one hundred percent_— sure that the girl likes them? Can't they just take a chance?"

"Kairi, I'm sure it's terrifying for them—"

"Well I think it sucks even more when you have to wait because he's being such a pansy." I deadpanned. Naminé sighed, taking the seat next to me.

"Kairi, I don't think I need to tell you how much I agree with you on this whole 'having to wait' thing. It does suck." She started.

"Are you going to tell me something along the lines of 'it's completely worth it'? Because that's not going to help me right now." I practically snapped.

"No, actually. I was going to tell you to try and understand their side too." She said calmly. My anger didn't bother her apparently.

"All they have to do is ask a question!"

"Kairi, you'll never understand them if you keep that idea in your head!" She said in a raised voice. I snapped my lips shut and listened to her, watching her intently. "I thought it was like that too. How hard could it be to spit out 'do you want to go out with me'? It was ridiculous. But just try to think and put yourself in that position. You—"

"I would ask him out as soon as I knew he liked me!" I argued. Where the hell was she going with this? This didn't prove anything.

"But you wouldn't!" She countered. "You wouldn't know whether or not he likes you."

"How? The signs are _right there."_

"Because you're a _boy._" She dragged out the last word to epic proportions. "I said to put yourself in their position. Be a boy for a little bit!" She joked.

I appreciated the order enough to smile and laugh. "Well, give me about five minutes to dumb myself down a bit. This might be difficult."

She giggled, shaking her head. "Now seriously. You're a boy now." I jokingly patted my chest before going lower, but Naminé stopped me. "Kairi! For real!" She so wanted to laugh. "You're a boy who doesn't know for sure whether or not Sora likes you."

"Sora likes boys? Maybe that's why…" The inner anger was manifesting in reasoning now. Just great.

"Oh come on, Kairi. Pretend. Now, You don't know for sure. Hell, you don't know anything for sure besides the facts that you like eating, sleeping, and breathing." I laughed like a maniac. I was thoroughly enjoying this boy-bashing session. "Anyway, all this time he's been giving you mixed signals."

"Wait, time out. How have my signals been mixed?" I raised a brow, waiting for the answer.

"They haven't. But they're interpreted as mixed. Trust me." I saw her roll her eyes. She probably had a conversation like this with Roxas. "So you don't know for sure. Moreover, you're afraid that you'll be rejected— or worse, Sora might like someone else."

"He thought you liked someone else?" I whispered.

She withdrew, a quizzical look on her face. "What are you talking about?"

Oh. Guess they didn't have this conversation. "No, uh, nothing. Go on."

"Just try to imagine the feeling of Sora telling you he wants to be 'just friends' or that he likes someone else. And then try to imagine how you'd feel right in front of him after you asked him out and he said no. Imagine how you'd _both_ feel. Then imagine how it'll be every time you see each other for the rest of the summer."

"That's not an excuse—"

"And now compare it to what you have now. Compare it to all the experiences you had in the past week. Put that past on one side and that messed up future on the other. Which one would you rather live in?"

"I'd rather take a chance."

"Don't lie to yourself." She shook her head and waved her hands in the air. "And you avoided the question. Which one?"

"The first one." I crossed my arms, agitated. She's being right again. "But—"

"Now I want you to ask him out the next time you see him." Naminé jabbed the air with her finger before dropping her hand into her lap.

Wait, that's it? "For real? That's easy. I already know he likes me."

"Yeah, because you're a girl. So you have no problem asking him out?" she clarified.

I thought for a moment, casting my eyes downward. "Well, I'd rather he be the one asking— you know, it's more traditional I guess— but I don't think I have a problem asking him…"

Suddenly I didn't feel as confident. But I was still going to do it.

"Good." She got up, grabbed Roxas's phone, and sat across from me. She pressed a few buttons, and suddenly the speaker was blaring a dial tone. "Let's ask him out right now then."

Ho. Shit.

"What the hell are you _doing?"_ I hissed angrily.

And then I heard him.

"Roxas?" That's all he managed to say before I hung up on him.

"What was that for?" Naminé looked at me, a bored expression on her face. "I thought you were going to ask him out."

"I wasn't ready! You totally sprung that on me!" I argued.

"You already know he likes you. What do you mean you're not ready?" She rested her head in her hand, putting her weight on the table.

"I'd like some time to plan what I have to say and compose myself! Just give me a minute or something!"

"Okay. One minute. Then we're calling him back." She said before yawning.

I took a deep breath. I knew I could do it. Just ask him if he wanted to go out. Yeah. That will work.

Or should I tell him I like him? Then maybe he'll do the rest from there… or maybe I should do both? But… hmmm…

"Na—"

"Times up." She pressed the call button twice; again, the dial tone seemed to poison the air.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can—

"I can't do this." I quickly reached for the phone and ended the call. My heart was racing; I set a hand over my chest, willing it to calm down.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm nervous!" Was that not obvious?

"Why are you nervous? You already know he likes you."

I stared at her, meeting her challenging eyes.

I hated her for being right.

I did what was natural and rested my head on the table, keeping my face from her sight. "I don't like you anymore. I'm leaving."

Her lips broke into a smile. "No you don't and no you are not. You're going to stay for dinner and I'm going to take you home."

"But Naminé!" I whined. She pulled at my arms until I gave in.

"Quit whining. I've proven my point, now you're going to stay for dinner."

I raised my head, sighing like a typical teenager. "Don't you want to eat dinner with Roxas? Alone?"

"No. I want you here in my line of sight. Who knows what you'll do if left alone." Her tone was a bit teasing.

"Wait a second. I'm not depressed or anything! I'm just… embarrassed… or something…"

She filled a large pot with water. "You merely understand where Sora's standing now, that's all. Oop," Roxas's phone started ringing. "He's calling back. Should I answer it?"

The weird, indescribable feeling from before resurfaced. "N-no…"

"I can't just ignore it…" despite my protest, Naminé opened the line. "Hey, Sora. No, it's Naminé… wait, hold on." I watched her remove the phone from her ear, only to find she put the speaker on. "Say that again."

"Naminé, this isn't a joke. I have to talk to Kairi." The sound of his pleading voice seemed to choke me. "Please, you have to tell me where she is."

"But—"

"Riku tried calling her for me, but she didn't pick up any of our calls. Please, I'm begging you."

I looked at Naminé, pressing a hand to my mouth tightly. I shook my head.

I couldn't. Not yet.

She sighed. "I'm really sorry Sora, but I haven't seen her at all. Roxas and I have been together all day, and— I don't know. Maybe you should try someone else." We heard him groan over the phone. "What happened? I can try talking to her if you want."

"No, it's—" he stumbled over a few quick words, "I have to do it myself. I messed up, Naminé. I—" a long pause, "Sorry. If you do talk to her, please try to convince her to talk to me. I have to do something. I have to go."

"Okay, Sora. Good bye." He hung up, ending the conversation. I stared at the phone in her hand, dumbstruck. "He's been calling you all day and you've been ignoring it?"

I looked at my lap in shame. "I didn't want to deal with any of it, Naminé. I was angry before."

And then the tears fell. For what seemed like the billionth time that day, I was crying again. Naminé rushed to my side in an attempt to soothe me.

"It's okay, Kairi. Put it behind you now." She rubbed my back, and it suddenly felt like my best friend became my mother. "Stay over for a while, okay? Come on," she gently pulled me out of my seat and into the kitchen. "You're going to help me make dinner for my boy toy. How does that sound?"

I sniffled, trying to get a laugh out of my system. "Sounds like you're already slacking off on all your girlfriend duties."

* * *

Dinner was actually more pleasant than I expected. Both Roxas's and Naminé's parents came back home while we were cleaning up after ourselves, and both greeted me with enthusiasm. Seeing them made me remember how close Roxas and Naminé were: their families were even best friends.

From what I gathered, they had no idea that Roxas and Naminé were an item. To them, it looked like the normal relationship. I guess the couple did a better job at hiding their kisses from their parents than from the rest of the world.

Speaking of Roxas, he surprisingly didn't press into any issues that we discussed in privacy. Much of the dinner conversation revolved around the dread for tomorrow morning's workout. I even forgot Roxas was a stupid boy for most of the night.

Naminé offered me a ride home, which I was forced to accept thanks to the presence of their parents. It was easy for me to see that Roxas wanted to come, but he was strategically manipulated into staying. I don't think I would've had a problem with him being there, but Naminé insisted she take me.

It was already dark by the time we left, which did make me feel a little less of a burden. The drive wasn't long either, but I still felt like I had somehow inconvenienced a potentially action-filled night for my friends. I even told her that.

"Kairi, that's disgusting."

"But it was a possibility! Heck, you two were audacious enough to do it _outside—_"

"That was spontaneous."

"Then who knows what _could've _gone down…"

"Enough. I'd rather be here than in my bedroom with Roxas."

"Why? Too hard to control yourself?"

"Yes. It is." She answered bluntly. I stared at her. She focused on the road in an unbreakable trance.

"Oh my gosh. You're serious."

"Well I'm not going to lie about it. It is."

I sat myself properly in the car, staring straight ahead. Curiosity got the best of me and I turned to her once again. "You guys haven't done anything you can't take back, right?"

"Kairi, no!" This time she blushed. "I mean I love him and everything, but I can't even think about seeing him naked yet. It's weird. I thought it would be instinctual or something, but there are still enough restraining barriers. It's just hard to control yourself in terms of… I don't know, ignoring the urge to feel him."

"So you guys have definitely done stuff…"

"Stuff, yes. But I'm not lying when I say that both pairs of pants stayed on." I resisted the urge to ask about shirts. "It escalates quickly, Kairi. It's actually scary. Sometimes it's because of him, and sometimes it's because of me. But we're really trying to keep things at a slow pace. We didn't exactly ease into this."

"Of course." I nodded slowly as we pulled into my neighborhood. "Thanks for the ride. And dinner. And everything else." I added with a laugh. "It helped a lot."

The car rolled into the driveway. "No problem, Kairi. You know I'm all ears anytime you need me. See you later."

"Yeah. Bye." After waving her off, I made my way to the front door. I stopped at the sight of it.

My breath caught in my throat. My heart suddenly seemed to beat irregularly. I stared at the sleeping figure, now slowly waking, at the foot of my door.

Sleep escaped him. Tired blue eyes met mine.

I gulped, my voice barely coming above a whisper. "Sora?"

* * *

**Redeeming Endeavor: **I'd like to take this moment to name a group of people who provide an endless source of inspiration for me, and they are **chibixbabe, Black-Dax, TinaalovesMints, hideki411, Krystal Lily Potter, KHgatomon3444, True-Light-San, Fanfiction Fanatiction, hihihi, Telracs1994, dearlybelovedangel, Kairi Nanami, ultravioletpapercutsx, Taygon55, xTwichii, Naivette, ****Transitions End****, Blood Seraph, ItzStorytime, Yellow Gummybear, Ocean Starfly, ShadowSpooky, Kaze the Renegade, Spellbound a.k.a soragirl4ever, mookie muffin, LadyAxel22, jenyflo5483, Lebrezie, Evnyofdeath (both!), young gun kid, SecretAgent99, Ghost4303, silentmusic16, Rosekun25, experienced keyblade master (both!), Alice Hates Wonderland, mameido13, hidden x charade, Princess of blah blah blah, HideYourFeathers, superkandybratz, Joahikim, Kingdom Hearts Lover 3, and mattjesse**. Thank you all so much. I couldn't do this without you guys.

I can't possibly forget about the people who added me or M&M to their **alerts and/or favorites** list.

Thanks for reading. Take care, everyone, and I'll see you around!


	15. Confessions

Chapter 15: Confessions

What the _hell_ was I thinking?

"I'll see you tomorrow! Just fucking great!" The ball previously in my hand went flying across the basement. I couldn't believe I completely blew it. I choked. I really messed up. That was a perfect opportunity to… to tell Kairi I like her, but no. It came and went all because I didn't have the spine to freaking ask,

"Do you want to go out with me tonight?" Or I could've just told her, "I like someone… well, you, actually…"

Anything. I could've done _anything_ there, but all I could come up with was a "see you tomorrow." Really, Sora? Really?

"Ugh, this sucks! This sucks! _This sucks!_" I angrily yelled into a poor pillow. I apologized soon after.

I felt like such an idiot; moreover, I had no idea what to do anymore.

Kairi probably… ugh, I don't know. She didn't look mad or anything. She didn't look upset either. Maybe she didn't care.

But if she didn't care, then that means she didn't like me back, right? Then again, everyone said she liked me too, which is why I even planned to ask her to a date or something. But couldn't everyone be lying just to mess with me? Kairi didn't date anyone before. She even turned down Riku. What do I have that Riku doesn't? A celebrity for an uncle?

I highly doubt that's the reason Kairi would like me.

The more I thought about it, the more I questioned. Why _did_ Kairi like me? What did I ever do to make her decide, "Oh, I wouldn't mind dating this boy." She turned down Riku. Riku! When I look at him and how she passed him up, how in the world do I stand a chance?

I'm not attracted to Riku or anything. I just recognize that he's a lot better than me at different things. He always beat me at everything. For every win I got, he had two. Riku was always someone fun to compete with because I never knew whether or not I'd come close to winning.

Heck, Riku would probably know what to do right now.

I stopped pacing, dropping the tennis ball in my hand. "That's it!" I should call Riku!

I ran up the stairs, phone in hand, and went out the back door into the pool area. I immediately dialed his number, taking a seat in one of the many chairs.

"Sora, what's up?" the answer came swiftly.

"Riku, I have a problem. Well, problems. Girl problems." I spoke fast, unable to contain the thoughts running speedy laps around my head.

"Kairi problems?" he laughed lightly. "What did you do this time?"

I thought for a moment and cringed, clenching my jaw. "Well, it's more along the lines of what I didn't do rather than what I did do…"

"Well, that's a relief. So you didn't force yourself onto her?"

"Riku, no! I would never do that!"

"Guys have before. Trust me. I've taken care of two." I heard some ruffling in the background. "Hey, why don't we meet up? I don't have work at all today, and I'm actually pretty bored. We can talk more too."

I jumped out of my seat. "Oh, yeah! Sure. That'll work. Yeah, that'll work."

He sighed on the other end. "Jeez, Sora. You have to calm down. You're talking really fast. Just take a second to cool down and shut the hell up for one moment."

"Er, right." I nodded quickly at first before realizing that I was supposed to slow down. "Calming down. Being calm."

"Good. Let's meet at the park. Basketball courts, actually. You know where that is?"

"Yeah. I think I remember." I felt like I was short of breath. Was I really that twitchy earlier?

"Good. See you then."

"Yeah, bye." After hanging up, I took a minute to pace outside and attempt to calm myself. I was getting help. Riku would know how to make this all better.

After I couldn't feel my heart pounding away in my chest, I walked inside the house and made my way to the garage. How would I get there?

The door to the garage was open, so I took a peek inside. Cloud was in there—

Stroking his car?

"Oh baby, I missed you so much…"

I stood shocked for a moment.

_What the hell is going on?_

"Ahem!" I coughed as loud as I could, pretending to just be walking into the garage. Cloud immediately lifted his eyes (and his gloved hand) from his car. Don't call him out on it. I need a favor. Don't call him out. "Hey, Cloud."

"Sora, what's up?" he asked coolly. Oh, how nonchalant. I suppose there was more to his A-list status than his good looks. He had some talent after all.

"Oh, I was just on the phone with Riku. I wanted to meet up with him somewhere and I was wondering if…" I looked at his car, "you could give me a ride or something."

"Hmm, I'd rather not." He replied bluntly. He made his way over to me. "Move." I took a step to the side, thinking he was just going to ignore me. Instead, he opened a drawer where all the car keys were. "How about… this one?" He pulled a ring from the bunch. "Yeah, definitely this one."

I had no idea what he was doing. "Er, what's—"

"Come on. It's in the garage." He made his way to his car, getting into the driver's seat. After slipping into my shoes, I quickly got into the passenger's side. He already finished putting the roof down.

"Cloud, aren't we in the garage?" I asked as I put my seatbelt on.

"No kidding. I was talking about a different garage. It's at the bottom of the mountain." He slowly backed out of the garage and made his way down the driveway. "I understand you took this car out while I was away, right?"

I gulped. "Y-yeah. I didn't know it would cause so much trouble."

"Eh, whatever." He shrugged. I sighed in relief. "I'll show you how you're supposed to drive it."

* * *

After what was probably the scariest and electrifying drive of my short life, we arrived at a long building with multiple garage doors. Cloud brought the car slightly beyond the first door and silently got out of the car. I followed suit and watched as he opened the door we had passed. A sleek, black sports car was sitting inside.

It looked brand new.

"This car is yours from now on." He motioned with his hand.

I weakly raised a hand and pointed in disbelief. "Seriously? This?"

"Yeah, why not? I've never driven it besides the time I had to park it here. It's new."

"I know. That's why I'm questioning it."

"Well then don't." Cloud tossed me the keys. "Happy Birthday."

"My birthday isn't for another—"

"Well, then tell her it's in celebration of getting your license."

"I've had my license for—"

"Just take the car, Sora. It's yours now. And if I don't have a reason for giving it to you, then your mom wouldn't let me hear the end of it."

I looked at him, and then the car, and then him again. "It's a car though. You're seriously going to let me keep it?"

"You talk about it as if I'm offering you free carwashes and paying for your gas."

"Well, what about everything else?"

"… Don't you have to meet your friend or something?"

I nodded with a huge grin plastered on my face. "Yeah. Thanks, Cloud. This is really awesome."

"Yeah, whatever. Just close the garage when you're done." He quickly got into his car and drove off, leaving me with my new car.

Holy crap. I just got a car.

I shook my head, lightly slapping my cheeks. "I still have Kairi problems. It's not over yet. Focus." I got into the vehicle and started the engine, pressing the gas just to test it. It roared in response, sending a few anxious chills throughout my body.

Oh boy.

* * *

I met Riku at the assigned spot in what seemed like a short drive. He raised a brow when he saw what I was driving, but didn't comment. He probably assumed I was borrowing it. He waved me over to follow him into a coffee shop.

Why didn't we just meet here?

"Do you want an iced coffee?" He asked as we fell in line.

"Uh, no." I looked at him weirdly. He knew I didn't like coffee.

"Good. I wasn't going to buy you one anyway." Oh, so that's what it was. He was just looking for an opportunity to be an asshole. "So what didn't you do to Kairi?"

"Well, I need your opinion on something first." I took a deep breath, "Does Kairi—"

"Yup." He cut me off, to order his drink. "She does."

"You didn't even hear the whole question!" I yelled a little too loudly. Riku got out of line, inconspicuously putting distance between us. I followed him. "I could've said anything."

"What does it matter? The two most likely questions you were going to ask were 'does Kairi like me' or 'does Kairi hate me'; in both cases, it would be yes. Thank you." He took his iced coffee from the barista.

"How can she like me and hate me at the same time?" I asked as I took a seat across from him. We could see the park and the basketball courts from where we were sitting. "Which one is it?"

"It's both. She likes you. I'm one hundred percent sure of that. I'm about eighty percent sure that she hates you now too, if you didn't do what I'm thinking."

"Well what are you thinking?" I asked interestedly.

"You didn't ask her out. Sometime today, you missed a moment to ask her out." He calmly drank his coffee, looking outside as if he were uninterested in the conversation. "You blew it. Nothing happened. She left pissed, let down, disappointed. But most of all, she probably left hurt."

I buried my head in my arms, groaning in irritation. "How did this happen?"

"You lacked initiative. Or you let fear stop you from doing something you both wished you would do. Same thing."

"Well can you tell me how to fix everything? I don't know what to do, Riku." I idly scratched the table, trying to come up with a way to rectify things. Ideas chose to elude me.

"I don't know either."

I groaned dramatically for what seemed to be the umpteenth time that day. "You're supposed to be making everything better!"

"Sora—"

"I thought you called me to meet you so we could talk more! Well, Riku, talking for an extra five minutes just so you could get an iced coffee does not make me any more convinced that we're talking more. This whole time I thought you were going to give me advice like you always do, but now—"

"Okay, Sora? You're at a nine right now. A nine." I demonstrated by holding his hand at eye level. "I need you to shut the fuck up," I cringed in my seat, "and bring it down to a two. Think you can handle that?"

I nodded fervently. "Down to a two. Right. Shutting up now."

He closed his eyes and let out a held breath before taking a long sip of his iced coffee. "Good." He continued to stare at his drink, turning the cup over and over again in his hands. I sat there quietly, repeating in my mind that I had to bring myself down to a two. I assumed I was doing it correctly.

After what seemed like centuries of nothing happening, I couldn't help but blurt out, "Well?"

He looked at me, a small smile forming on his face. "You're a bundle of nerves today. I was thinking. You know, one of us has to if we ever hope to fix this… whatever you call it with Kairi."

"Well the only thing _I_ can think about is how badly I screwed things up today. Nothing was going to stop me and I completely blew it." I wiped my face roughly in frustration.

"Then stop thinking about the past and start thinking of ways to make it better." Riku jabbed the table with his finger to emphasize his point. "Right now, we need to fix this thing you've got."

"Well you've been thinking for the past century, so do you have any suggestions?" He let my sarcasm slide, much to my relief.

"You have to do it today." He stated plainly. "If it's not fixed today, then she'll have time to think about it. If she sleeps on it, well then you're screwed. Basically, you have to somehow trick her into believing that you're not a total douche before she realizes the truth."

I sat there shocked for a moment before I narrowed my eyes. "I am _not_ a—"

"Oh for crying out loud, it was sarcasm." He deadpanned. "But I was serious about fixing it today. The longer you wait, the harder it'll be to make amends."

I sighed, fidgeting in my seat. I became a little more aware of the smell of coffee.

Yuck.

"So I have to do it today. Any ideas on exactly _what_ I should do?"

He stared at me for a moment as if he were assessing the degree of my seriousness. He casually took a sip of his coffee before asking, "Do I have to think of everything by myself?" I looked at him hopefully, pleading with my eyes. "Wow, this is such bull. Some best friend you are, dumping all your relationship crap on me."

I gasped excitedly. That was it! It was Riku's way of saying yes! "You mean you'll help me?" I asked a little too happily. Remember, Sora. It needs to be a two.

"Whatever. I'm going to throw out ideas and we're both going to refine them. Like hell I'm fixing all of your problems for you."

I fought the urge to leap from my chair and cheer obnoxiously. I opted to clasp my hands together and silently revel. "Thank you, Riku. Thank you."

He smiled, setting his coffee aside. Rubbing his hands together, he leaned forward in thought and opened his mouth to speak. "So, I think we should start…"

* * *

"Do you got it?"

"Yes." I took a deep breath, bending my knees and shooting a free throw. "Find Kairi. Apologize. Know what I'm going to say by saying what we discussed here. And then don't ask her out."

"Right. That should do it."

"Wait, why don't I ask her out again?" I asked, a little puzzled with our plan. I took another shot.

"Well, you do." He caught the ball as it fell through the net and passed it back. "But _only_ if she's okay with it."

"How will I know if she's okay with it again?"

This time, he didn't pass the ball back. "Sora, we've been discussing this for the past millennium. What the hell have I been repeating this whole time?"

"Communication is key?" I asked instead of answered. He nodded reluctantly as if he doubted what he heard. "But what if—"

"What don't you understand, Sora? You have to open the line of communication. There is no other way."

"But—"

"It is _imperative_ that you communicate clearly."

"I know—"

"No, you don't know." He interrupted me again. I took that as the signal to shut up and just let him say whatever he needed to say. "None of this is going to work if you don't communicate clearly and directly. Sora, you're dumb."

The last thing had me raise a brow. "Um, okay. Thanks?"

"No. I meant that you're dumb when it comes to reading signals. You can't read body language for crap, and your reasoning is at the level of… well, it's just to incredibly low that nothing compares."

"Gee, thanks." I huffed.

"It could work if that wasn't the case, but it is." Before I could retort, he continued on quickly. "That's exactly why you need to be very direct. You need to say what you feel. Describe it to her if you have to. But tell her how you feel. You have to straightforward now. Earlier today you walked up to the wall, looked for a way in, and then retreated because you got tired of looking for the gate. Well not this time. You're going to make your own entrance."

I caught the ball he tossed right after he finished his pep talk. "Riku—"

"Tell me how you feel about her, Sora." The command was so startling it ended my free throw streak.

"What?" I managed to ask after sputtering. "Right now?"

"Yeah. Right now." He bounced the ball back.

I took a deep breath before starting, "Well, my heart—"

"Okay," he raised his hands to stop me, "I can tell this is gonna be corny, so shut up." An amused smirk was on his face after he finished.

Once again, he was looking for an opportunity to be a total asshole and I fell right into it.

"You're such a…" I couldn't even find the right insult.

"Good friend for helping you with girl troubles? I know." He waved it off with his hand. "Be direct. I can't be any more direct myself."

"I will, but what if she won't?" I finally asked. He stared at me as if the solution were simple. "Well?"

"Well what? Ask _her_ to be direct. Ask her to tell you exactly what she means or feels or whatever it is you guys are talking about. Which is?" He asked, waiting for the answer I was supposed to recite.

"I'm going to apologize to her and tell her my feelings. And, depending on how she reacts, I respond accordingly."

"And to make sure you don't misinterpret those reactions?" he pressed on.

"I guess I'll ask her how she feels?" I asked as I shot the ball once more.

"Very good. Now just remember that. This conversation has been so repetitive that you could recite everything in your sleep." He held onto the ball as he caught it. "That's all I can do for you."

I caught it after, dribbling the ball in my free throw routine. "It actually helps a lot. I mean, I feel a lot better going in knowing what I have to say."

"Speaking of going in," he waited until I shot the ball before continuing, "where exactly is she right now?"

I froze in thought. That was a good question.

"I think she's at home—"

He started speaking before I even finished. "Well wherever she is, you have to find her. Now."

"Why now?"

"Because the longer you wait, the longer you'll have to forget everything. Oh, and you'll also have more time to get more nervous about this whole thing. Should we put failure on the agenda as well?" he said offhandedly. He looked a little distracted, like he was fed up with something

"You know, you're actually right." The curiosity bubbling inside me finally pushed me to speak. "But I can't help but shake the feeling that you're trying to get rid of me."

"Yeah, well I've thought about Kairi enough for today."

Oh.

_Oh. _Awkward.

"Er, sorry for—"

"Don't even. If I wanted you to fail, I wouldn't have helped you. But you're my best friend and I think you can make her happy." He offered a small smile, but it wasn't enough to calm me at all.

"Yeah, but I still feel… I don't know, like I got in between you guys or something now. I actually almost forgot you guys even had—yeah."

"Sora, there was never anything. If there was, it was over before you arrived. Nothing but a small misunderstanding and bad interpretation on my part." His words caught my attention. So _that_ was why he placed so much emphasis on communication!

"But Riku, there's no way it was just that. When feelings like that are involved, it can't possibly be that simple." I told him almost forcefully. "Things just… they didn't…"

"You're right. Things didn't work out. They wouldn't have worked out. But Sora, you have to stop feeling sorry for me. Both Kairi and I have put it in the past and we're still the best of friends. Really." He looked at me, his expression relaxed. I sighed, knowing that the subject had to be dropped. I trusted him; he was definitely telling the truth.

"All right then…" I let the words trail off as I dug in my pockets for my phone. "I'll look for her now. What will you do?"

"For now, I'll shoot some hoops alone." The guilty feeling came rushing back. He must've anticipated it would happen and quickly added, "Not to think, to warm up. A bunch of the guys are meeting me here soon for a game or two. I'd invite you to stay, but I think you have more important matters to deal with."

I returned his smile with my own and nodded. "Yeah… I do. Thanks, Riku. For all your help and everything." I chuckled, tucking my hands behind my head.

"Yeah, no problem." He laughed to himself. "Here to drop wisdom whenever you need it." I returned his wave and walked back to my car.

"See you later."

* * *

The sound of faint footsteps tapped into my mind. A sharp intake of breath stabbed the drowsy haze I couldn't shake.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. I was outside, sitting somewhere. A pair of familiar looking shoes invaded my eyesight.

And then it all registered.

Oh no. I fell asleep at Kairi's door.

I spent the whole day looking for her. I went to every single place we had been to together, trying to convince myself that she'd be in one of those places. I guess I foolishly hoped that we'd have some weird, secret connection and we'd magically find each other. But it didn't happen.

And then there was more hope when Roxas called. But that too was a dead end: not even Naminé knew where she was. After running out of leads, I went to the one place where she would almost definitely show up: her house. I had to call Riku for directions, and it didn't take long for me to remember the way. When no one answered the doorbell, I decided to wait.

And I apparently fell asleep. I fell asleep at Kairi's door while waiting for her to show up.

I looked up, praying it wasn't true. It was. Standing right in front of me was the missing girl herself.

"Sora?" her soft voice was nearly inaudible.

"Kairi…" I said breathlessly. "I—"

"You fell asleep at my door." She stated almost admirably. "What are you doing here?" She held her hand out to help me up. I took it, but added a fair amount of my own effort so I could stand.

Direct, Sora. Direct. "I w-wanted to see you." I stuttered, casting my eyes downward. She chuckled softly.

"I'm glad." She tucked her hair behind her ear, looking at me with indecipherable eyes. "I wanted to see you too."

The butterflies in my stomach went absolutely insane.

"O-oh. Heh. Cool."

Wow. Cool? Really, Sora? Really?

"Come in. I'll open the door." I stepped aside to let her by. "You… you can't stay too long. My parents will be home soon."

I gulped. "O-Oh. They work this late?" She beckoned me inside and locked the door behind me.

"On these nights, they go out to town together." She flicked the light switches, illuminating the room. I followed her into the kitchen, watching silently as she began to make hot chocolate. After placing the cups in the microwave, she turned her attention to me. "So why'd you want to see me?"

Suddenly, the room felt _very_ hot. My heart became so loud I could've sworn bombs were dropping around me. My breath hitched in my throat. "I uh… I think I… I had— well have, actually— something to tell you." I tried to use my hands to aid the explanation, but it looked like I was doing some funky version of the robot.

This is utterly failing.

"Oh yeah?" she crossed her arms. Already I found a problem with this whole situation: I couldn't read her emotions at all.

At _all._

I had no idea what she was feeling at the time. I didn't know if she had pent up anger somewhere deep down, or if she was actually happy to see me. I didn't know how to read her body: did the crossed arms mean that she had no intention of opening up, or that she felt insecure around me?

How do people do this?

"Sora? Yoo-hoo?" she waved a hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention.

"Huh? Oh, uh, what'd you say?" I asked confusedly. "I think I spaced out a little. Sorry." I tucked my hands behind my head and stared at my feet in embarrassment.

She giggled musically. I instantly felt my heart lighten. "Do you think I could have your attention for a few minutes? I have something important to say."

I nodded fervently. "Uh, yeah. Definitely. But I—" the microwave rang, signaling that the drinks were warmed. "Here, let me handle the rest." I offered. She stepped aside, and I finished making our hot chocolate. I gave her a finished mug.

"Thanks…" she took it gratefully and sat at her table, waving me over to sit across from her. "Were you trying to say something before?"

I took a deep breath, trying to settle my nerves and normalize my erratic heartbeat. "Er, yeah. I just have to get this off my chest. I've been thinking about it all day, a-and I think it— well, it _does_ concern you." I swallowed hard, squeezing the warm mug in my hands. I felt as if my face was on fire, so I took a huge gulp to focus on something. My hands were so sweaty I almost dropped the mug.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, running her finger along the rim of her cup.

Okay, this is it. Moment of truth. Be direct, Sora. Be direct. "Kairi… I'm sorry." The breath came out so rushed I felt a need to repeat myself. "I'm sorry. You know, about earlier today. I got really nervous and scared for some reason, and I— You know what, let me start over." I rubbed my face, wishing I hadn't said anything. "Okay. I know this is going to sound weird, and maybe even scary, but everything is true. I know we've only known each other for a week, but we really did spend a lot of time together. And it wasn't too long before something changed. Well, I changed. See, in the short time that I've known you, I felt like I've, uh, known you for a really long time."

She nodded slowly, a look of confusion on her face. My grip on the drink tightened. "Yes…"

"What I'm trying to say, Kairi," I paused to muster every ounce of courage in my body. No turning back. "The point of all this is— I like you. Like, I 'like you' like you." I stopped talking for second after saying that aloud. "Uh, did that make sense? Sorry, I— I like you as a girl." I tried to explain. Her expression was both shocked and confused. "I mean, wait! I'm not saying I'm a girl! I meant you!" I waved my hands frantically in front of me. I took a huge breath before forcing myself to word everything correctly. "Kairi, I really like you. More than a friend too. The same way Roxas likes Naminé and Tidus likes Yuna. _That _way. And I just want to get that out there because it's been on my mind for a while and it's okay if you don't like me back but it'd be really nice if you did and— yeah…"

Well, that was it. I said something that I could never take back. Now somebody please kill me. My heart was beating fast enough to explode anyway. Please, before she laughs or runs away or makes fun of me or just— ugh! Please, just put me out of my misery. I buried my shameful face in my hands, wishing at that moment that I wasn't there. That I didn't just confess that I liked the girl sitting across from me.

"Sora, I've been waiting for you to tell me that all day." I blinked behind my hands. Did I hear that correctly? I lowered one of my hands, allowing one eye to set my gaze on her. She giggled again, bringing a hand to cover her mouth. "No really, I've been waiting for that."

"Y-You have?" I asked stupidly, lowering the other hand from my face. She nodded, letting her hair hide her reddening cheeks. "Why?"

"Because I like you too." She stated without hesitation.

It took a few seconds for anything in my mind to register. It was as if my brain decided that in all its workings, it had to take a second for a breather before it would resume comprehending anything that happened.

I was speechless, but I'm pretty sure my mouth hung open in complete and utter shock. She liked me. She actually liked me back.

The thoughts came out like a flood. Kairi liked me. The feelings I had for her were the same as the feelings she had for me. We had feelings for each other. We liked each other. Kairi _liked me back!_

"Did… Did I…" I tried to ask. I quickly shook my head, starting over again. "Are you for real?"

She truly laughed that time, a full smile coming to her face. "Yes, Sora. Yeah, I uh… I am 'for real.'"

"Ha… haha…" I was simply dumbfounded. She liked me. I liked her, and she liked me back. Kairi, the girl I liked, liked me back.

Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh.

Best day ever.

We were laughing, just like we did just days ago, like there was some secret joke between us. But there wasn't a joke: we were just too happy. We were ecstatic in our realization that somewhere along the line, our feelings met. They were requited. They were returned.

"I… I honestly don't know what to say…" I laughed some more, scratching the back of my head again. "I'm so unbelievably happy right now I can't think."

She wiped her eyes, taking deep breaths. "I don't know what to say either. I feel so stupid because I even have butterflies in my stomach. I can't believe this is real— that this is happening."

"That what's happening?" I leaned forward on the table. "That just a few seconds ago I found out you liked me too?"

"Well, I was thinking more about the fact that I found the boy I liked asleep on my doorstep because he wanted to tell me that he liked me back." We shared a hearty laugh, a kind of awkward and comfortable moment at the same time.

"So uh, now that we know that we like each other, I think we should… well, you know the deal with Roxas and Naminé…"

"Uh-huh." She nodded.

"Yeah. We should do it." The smile that was on my face quickly disappeared when I realized what I declared. Kairi looked at me, obviously mortified. She quickly looked away, suddenly finding the hands on her knees very interesting. "Wait, n-not that! I didn't mean _that! _That stuff is for people who've been— I didn't mean we should do that, I meant that we should g-go out and date!" My voice cracked on the last word. "I-I didn't mean _it_ in the sense of… you know. I just meant that we should go out! Ugh, I feel so stupid right now…" I buried my face in my arms, hiding in shame.

I wanted to face palm and slam my head repeatedly on the table. Nothing was going to fix that.

"Sora, I'd love that." I looked up as she said my name, watching her tuck her hair behind her ear. She smiled warmly again, jokingly adding, "The going out and dating part, of course."

* * *

I don't think I've ever felt so elated in my life. Seriously. I was in some happiness-induced delirium. Kairi said yes. She said yes to going out with me. She also said yes to dating me. IS there a difference? Probably not, but she agreed to do both anyway. That means something, right?

Kairi and I were chatting in her living room, sitting close and comfortably. I basically told her about my long search for her and how I ended up at her doorstep. She revealed that she told Naminé to lie to me, but I was quick to brush that off. I hope she didn't feel guilty.

Per Riku's suggestion, I told Kairi everything I felt and how I was seriously impaired when it came to reading her. She took the opportunity to make fun of me, but nonetheless accepted that part of me.

"See, it's good that we're talking like this so early." She smiled, folding her legs on the couch. "It's like we're laying out some ground rules for our relationship."

Our relationship. _Our _relationship. An intimate relationship that made Kairi my girlfriend.

Holy crap.

Kairi was my _girlfriend._

"Sora? Are you listening to me?" I blinked a few times, apologizing profusely when she laughed. "This isn't going to work if you won't listen to what I have to say."

"No, I am! Really!" I quickly tried to defend myself. "It's just that I was thinking… you're my girlfriend now, right?" The question may have seemed redundant, but for some reason it mattered to me.

She blushed, rubbing the back of her neck with her hand. "Y-yeah… I am." She gave me a heart-melting smile. It took all the effort I had to keep from sighing like a lovesick teenager.

"See? I never thought the day would come where I could call you my girlfriend!" We laughed again, erasing the creeping feeling of awkwardness that threatened to settle over us.

"Well then, Sora, answer this." She bit her lip, intertwining her fingers in her lap. "What do I have to do to get a hug from my _boyfriend_?" She made sure to emphasize the last word by leaning forward and exaggerating the syllables. I quickly wrapped her in my arms, hugging her as tightly as possible. Not a second later she had her arms wrapped around me too.

"Nothing at all. These come with the package." I joked, holding her securely against me.

"Good." She said approvingly. "Because I like this." She pulled away slightly so she could see my face. "A lot."

I felt warm and fuzzy all over. She quickly hid her face from me, pressing her nose into my chest. "I can't believe you're here with me." I whispered. By now, I was sure she could clearly hear my rapid and excited heart.

"I can't believe you're with me too." The words came out muffled, tickling just enough to get a chuckle out of me. "I didn't think it was possible to fall for someone in a week."

"Me neither." I replied thoughtfully. Those were my thoughts _exactly._

"Either way, I'm glad you proved that thought wrong. I like this a lot better." She turned her head slightly, pressing her ear against my chest. My hand ran up and down her back in a soothing motion.

I wanted to stay like that forever. The world couldn't possibly have been any better than it was right then.

"Sora," Kairi's voice snapped me out of my short reverie. "What made you come here? What made you come to my house and wait for me until I got back?" She looked straight into me, curiosity apparent in her eyes.

I gulped, trying hard to ignore how close our faces were. "I just thought that I missed the mark the first time around when I could have tried. And it bothered me, so I went to talk to Riku about it all."

"Riku, huh? Did he have good advice?" she asked interestedly.

"Yeah. He told me that I had to 'communicate' with you to get my feelings across."

"And what are those feelings exactly?"

My brow furrowed in confusion. "I like you. Didn't I say that before?"

She laughed, hiding her face in my chest. "Yeah, you did. I just like hearing you say it." The revelation was so heartwarming I hugged her tighter.

"If you'd like, then, I can remind you every day." I said quietly.

She raised her head, a coy smile on her face. "Oh really? You, my boyfriend, would tell me that you like me every day? Here I was expecting you to never say it again and never show it."

I rolled my eyes. "Wow, if I knew that I'd get a sarcastic remark every time I told you that I like you, I just won't. It's not worth the abuse."

"No!" she whined playfully. "I was just kidding!" she shifted in my arms, stretching her legs out on the sofa. "Even though you indirectly said neither my smile nor my happiness is worth the abuse from sarcastic comments."

It was my turn to get defensive. "I did not! I was just saying how I don't want to be verbally attacked for admitting that I like you every day!"

"You don't like me. You're just saying that because you feel bad. I'm not _worthy_ enough for you."

I groaned loudly and covered my face with my hands. "Ugh, if this is what having a girlfriend is like, then I am seriously reconsidering my options." She laughed loudly at that, lightly pushing herself up from me.

She stared at me, her face just inches from mine. "You know I'm kidding. I like you too much to do that to you." Her words made me melt all over again. Moving closer, she lowered her voice to just above a whisper. "And besides, you're not leaving me until you get to know me more. After that, feel free to turn tail and run."

I sucked in a huge breath as her hands made their way to my shoulders. "I can't even imagine leaving you. Not now, and certainly not anytime soon. At all."

Well good," one of her hands moved up to my face. I sighed shakily, my eyelids feeling heavy. "You'd be missing one of the best parts of dating me…"

I could tell she was about to do something extremely bold, and my heart raced when I saw that my intuition was right. Her face slowly moved closer to mine. My eyes closed, a soft sigh escaping my lips as I heard her soft breaths.

And then the low rumble of a garage opening pervaded the air. My eyes shot open as Kairi immediately sat up.

"Shit…" she hissed under her breath. "They're twenty minutes early!" I got up from the sofa with her, waiting for directions. "Help! Think!" she said frantically.

"Is it that big of a deal?" I followed her out of the living room.

"Sora!" her low voice sounded so threatening I pressed my lips together. "I do _not_ want my parents to meet you this way. Is that clear?" I nodded as she took my hand. "Here. Hide in my room. Don't make a sound." She practically tossed me in and looked at me expectantly.

"Right." I lied down on the floor on the opposite end of her bed, making sure I wasn't visible from the door. We heard the garage door closing as Kairi's parents called her. She took a deep breath and casually left her bedroom like she wasn't hiding a boy inside.

"Mom, Dad! You guys are home early…" she casually sparked a conversation and closed the door behind her. It wasn't until after their voices disappeared that I noticed my heart was beating madly. I cautiously raised my head to peer over the bed. I couldn't hear a thing from outside, so I assumed they moved to the living room. I let out a long sigh in relief.

Now that I thought about it, meeting Kairi's parents under these circumstances would certainly not make any good impressions.

And so I waited… and waited… and waited. I impatiently huffed on the floor, rolling my shoulders against the soft carpet. How long does distracting take? Shouldn't she have returned by now?

The answer came quickly when I heard the doorknob turn. I immediately froze (as if that would do anything; I was practically out in the open) and stilled my breathing.

"Psst! I'm back!" Kairi whispered as she closed the door. "Sora?"

I slowly sat up, stretching for dramatic effect. "Finally! Took you long enough. What, were you hoping I'd be asleep when you got back?" I couldn't help a smile from forming when I saw her.

"Oh don't give me that. I was gone for five minutes." Kairi rolled her eyes, trying to fight the curve of her lips.

"You just wanted to get back to your room and find poor little me asleep on the floor so you could take advantage of me." I playfully accused with a mock glare.

"Don't you go associating your fantasies with mine. We may have this mutual attraction thing going on, but you're the only one with perverted thoughts."

"Don't you go playing innocent!" I shot back.

"Whatever." She hopped into her computer chair, crossing her arms. "You'd enjoy it anyway."

I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came. I devilish smile surfaced as I said, "I probably would."

It was her turn to feel the pressure of speechlessness. "You're… you're gross."

I had to laugh at her reaction, though I was still aware that I had to remain quiet. We kinda dug ourselves into a hole with this situation. "So… how exactly am I going to get home?" Not that I wouldn't mind sleeping over or anything, but I think Tifa and Cloud would notice…

Kairi crossed her legs, trying to think of a possible solution. "I guess we'll have to wait for my parents to fall asleep. I'll check every once in a while or something…" she said in a lowered voice.

"Well that sounds dandy. What will we do until then? Just sit here quietly?" I sat myself on the edge of her bed.

"Well do you have any ideas? For someone who sounds so condescending, I figure you would have a whole list of solutions." Kairi challenged with a smirk.

I allowed myself a smile. "I have a few ideas…"

Kairi rolled her eyes in reply. She was definitely a little flustered. "Wow, I'm second guessing myself now. Had I known you were such a—"

A loud knock at the door cut Kairi off. "Kairi! Why'd you lock your door? Let me in, I forgot to give you something!"

It was her dad.

We traded a horrified glance before springing into action. "Get in! Quick! Don't make a sound!" Kairi motioned for her closet. I immediately hopped inside, closing the door behind me. Outside, I could hear Kairi dashing for her door. "Dad, this better be important…"

My heartbeat seemed to double at the fact that only a closet door separated me and Kairi's father. I slowly took a step back out of nervousness, but lost my footing on something.

I fell with a loud crash.

"What was that? Did that come from your closet?" I heard her father ask.

I remained completely still, hoping the sound emanating from my chest couldn't be louder than it was to me. Well, this is it. My last few seconds of life. Shame, I never thought I'd die in a closet after tripping in the dark. I lived a good life. As fate would have it, I would never reach the legal adult age nor have my first legal drink…

Wait.

But I don't want to die! I _just_ managed to tell a girl my feelings and now I have to come face to face with the very man that was her father? Why was every force of nature working against me and my relationship with Kairi? It was hard enough conquering myself, but this too? If there's a higher power out there, please help me survive this. Please, for the sake of my petty life, spare me this unwanted future.

"Oh! Th-that's just the suitcase I was putting back. Damn thing must've fallen from where I put it."

"Suitcases?" The suspicious tone didn't give me any comfort. In fact, I was half-expecting to watch the closet door fly open with an angry-looking father standing at the threshold.

"You know, the ones I took to Miss Lockhart's house? I'm putting away all my stuff. The suitcase I put on the shelf must have fallen. It's no big deal." Kairi explained offhandedly.

"Oh… but it sounded like a pretty loud crash. Did you even empty them?" His voice became lighter. If I could guess, I would think he was teasing his daughter.

"Dad, the smaller one fits inside the bigger one. They're both empty, but they're still pretty heavy. But thanks for thinking so highly of me." Kairi replied smartly. Her father laughed.

"Can you blame me?" he laughed a deep and hearty laugh. The kind someone would laugh as he slays you and chops your body up into seven pieces just because it's his lucky number. "And do you need any help with putting it back up?"

"Nope!" Kairi replied a little too quickly. "Uh, I can handle it on my own. Thanks though." Seconds later, I heard the door close. Just as still as ever, I rapidly blinked, hoping the crisis was over. A shaky sigh of relief escaped through my lips just as the closet door was folded aside. Kairi stood over me, an exhausted look on her face. "What the hell happened, Sora? Can you imagine what would've happened if I couldn't come up with some excuse for you?"

"I'm sure your thoughts weren't nearly as graphic as mine…" I muttered as I picked myself up. "Sorry about that. I don't know what I tripped on, but… yeah." I scratched my head in embarrassment before madly fanning myself. I got awfully sweaty in eternal seconds. "That had to be the scariest moment of my life thus far." I couldn't stop trembling as I stepped out of the closet.

"It probably would've been the end of your life." Kairi conceded with a nod. She took a seat next to me on her bed, slipping her hand into mine. "No offense to you, but I don't ever wanna go through that ever again. Just thinking about how much trouble we would have been in is enough to give me nightmares for a week."

I nodded in agreement. "More like a month." We sat in silence for a while until we both managed to calm down. When the adrenaline rush finally subsided, I turned to her and ask, "So… what will we do now?"

* * *

We passed the next forty minutes chatting on and on about everything we could think of, from childhood memories to blackmail on a few of our friends (since our mutual friends didn't extend beyond Riku, Roxas, and Naminé, the blackmail mostly covered that unfortunate trio). Then, on what seemed like the twentieth time Kairi checked for her parents, she finally came back with the news I've been waiting to hear.

"Yes! Of course I'll marry you!"

No, Just kidding. She didn't say that.

"Sora!" She skipped back into her room excitedly, "They're asleep! It's time to go!"

I quickly got up and cautiously walked into the hallway. Despite Kairi's reconnaissance, I couldn't refrain from looking around like a paranoid maniac. Better safe than sorry, right?

"We're going out the front door?" I asked reluctantly. This wasn't exactly stealthy. Wasn't I supposed to crawl out a window? Maybe exit through the back and climb over the fence?

"Duh. It's the shortest and easiest way. Not to mention the safest. They can't see the front from their room." Kairi explained her reasoning.

"They're awake? I thought you said—"

Kairi stopped me mid-hiss and unlocked the door. "They are. I was just saying, in a hypothetical situation," we stepped outside. Kairi closed the door quietly before speaking again. "In a hypothetical situation, we actually would have been safe. Trust me. I think I know the nuances of my house more than anyone."

"Gotcha." I nodded. I dug into my pockets and pulled out my car keys. I looked at Kairi.

And I had no freaking idea what to say or do.

What ended up happening was that we stared at each other, awkwardly coughed and looked away, and stood like two idiots waiting for something to happen.

"So I—"

"I guess—" I stopped when I heard her speak, but she stopped too. So, I took that as a sign to continue.

"Are you—"

"You can—" I stopped again. I waited for her to speak, but she waited too. Okay. I slowly opened my mouth.

And Kairi burst out laughing. "Didn't this… didn't this happen before?"

The memory of it had me clutching my stomach. "Oh my gosh. You're right!" When the laughs finally shrank into giggles, and later nothing, I finally found my voice again. "So... I guess I'll wake up tomorrow and you'll be my girlfriend?" I said with a blush.

Riku would never, ever, _ever_ get off my case if he heard me say something that corny.

"Oh wow, that was really cheesy." Kairi giggled nervously. I felt my face get hotter. Great. Me and my big mouth. "But not exactly. Instead, you'll go to bed tonight and I'll be your girlfriend. That first. Then, I suppose after that point… yeah, you've got it right."

The way she smiled turned all that hot embarrassment into butterflies in my stomach. I chuckled like an idiot. "Heh, well… well then I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded, a small smile gracing her perfect face. "Yeah. You got that right too." I immediately pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. It took just a second for her to return it with just as much strength. I sighed into her hair.

I could hold her like this forever if she'd let me.

We finally (and reluctantly) parted; one of my hands refused to let go of hers as we took a step away from each other.

I wanted to kiss her.

I wanted nothing more at that moment to hold her in my arms again and show her how much I adore her. I desired nothing but to bring her in, close my eyes, and pour every single emotion I felt because of her into a single kiss. I couldn't think of anything else that mattered more than telling her how happy I was because of her.

But as I looked at her under the light of the moon, I knew I couldn't do it. Other thoughts of a better moment, a perfect moment, flooded my mind before I could even register what was happening. I couldn't kiss her now. Not yet. Not when she'd be disappointed with the place and time and manner it was carried out. My inner thoughts resounded one thing: she deserves the best. Give her the best.

I probably smelled bad from all the running around I did today. There were no doubts that I'd broken a sweat at least five times today. My breath probably smelled bad, my face was probably oily-looking, and my lips felt chapped. I couldn't do it now. I couldn't deprive her of her first kiss when I was in such a terrible condition. Not to Kairi.

So I blinked and swallowed air. Time resumed its normal pace and I was staring at a beautiful young woman that I could call my girlfriend.

"Good bye, Kairi." The words came out almost as a whisper. They were reluctant. They almost hurt to say.

"Good bye, Sora." I smiled. Why couldn't I do it? Why couldn't I make my good-bye sound like a promise that we'd see each other again? I admired that in her. She expressed things so clearly, and only now I can pick up on how open she truly is with her feelings.

I released her hand, letting mine fall lazily to my side. I took a slow step toward the road, feeling slightly disappointed in myself.

And then I felt her warm, soft fingers slip into my palm. They strongly embraced it, and I felt a pull back towards the source. To Kairi.

A slight pout was on her face, which I saw with my surprised one. A slow blush crept across her face. "You w-were all talk in my room earlier. I thought you changed."

I hastily grabbed her hands, holding them tightly in my own. "Huh?" I was starting to panic. What did she mean?

"You were about to walk away… I thought I was being clear. Why do you have to make me be so blunt? It's so embarrassing…" she was the completely opposite of what I was used to: quiet and shy. I panicked more.

"Kairi, please tell me what's wrong…" I raised her chin to find her eyes. They quickly connected with mine.

And suddenly I felt paralyzed.

The soft, shaky words managed to escape between her lips.

"You better kiss me right now. Don't you dare walk away without doing it."

I realized that I wouldn't be able to grant Kairi that perfect moment of a moonlit kiss on a bridge. I wouldn't be able to kiss her on the beach as the sun slowly dropped beyond the horizon. And I certainly wouldn't be able to give her that kiss at the end of some magic carpet ride.

What I could do was pour every single ounce of happiness she made me feel. I knew I could tell her how much she had become to me, how much she meant in such a short amount of time. I could tell her, without directly saying it in words that probably don't exist, how happy I wanted to make her.

And so I did. A simple lean forward and I was flying.

* * *

**Author Notes**: Huge thanks to FIFTY FREAKING PEOPLE. Huge thanks to these people who put up with this stuff (the long waits and frustrating reads): **Krystal Lily Potter, HideYourFeathers, Kairi Nanami, hideki411, True-Light-San, dearlybelovedangel, TinaalovesMints, hidden x charade, mookie muffin, SecretAgent99, KHgatomon3444, experienced keyblade master, mattjesse, Taygon55, Princess of blah blah blah, silentmusic16, NightFalcon26, Yellow Gummybear, Lebrezie, SillySally, Black-Dax, Spellbound a.k.a soragirl4ever, Tayt63, jenyflo5483, GreyPurpleBlack, mameido13, Naivette, xTwichii, LadyAxel22, ultravioletpapercutsx, young gun kid, iandin123, ShadowSpooky, IConcurVehemently, chibixbabe, startscribbling12, Ocean Starfly, Evnyofdeath, hihihi, Alice Hates Wonderland, IlooovesToushirouHitsugayax3, Ghost4303, Rivendell101, MishaeRu, Transitions End, Hearts in the Twilight, BlackButterfly9, Anonymous, angel, **and **FreedomRocker. **

Thank you to those who added either M&M or RE to their favorites/alert lists too!

Take care everyone, and I'll see you around!


	16. Surprise

Chapter 16: Surprise

Girls are really, really soft.

If you're like me (meaning, 'had never been involved in a relationship with a girl before') then you learned something new today.

I knew Kairi was amazing, but kissing her was another thing altogether. It was unbelievable. It's indescribable, really. I know, you think I'm holding out on you, but I really am not. I guess when you're caught up in the passion of it all (be sure to thank the person who even gave us that description) it's really hard to think clearly. All I could really think about was how much I was enjoying myself.

So how was I thinking now?

Kairi let out a long sigh as she adjusted her head on my chest. Currently, we were lying under a particular tree in the park, one that we had previously scouted.

Yes, we were borrowing Roxas and Naminé's tree, but come on. This was the best spot in the park for spending time with your significant other. That's right. I have a significant other now. Just try and stop me from getting this tree.

"Sora, what are you thinking about right now?" Kairi's voice snapped me from my imaginary conflicts. A few rebellious strands of her soft hair tickled my nose as she shifted.

"Oh, just how I would have fought someone off to get this spot." I said truthfully. She giggled; it was easy to sense that she rolled her eyes.

"I swear… out of all the things you could be thinking about, you're thinking about doing something violent."

For your sake only, Kairi." I added lightly. Normally I would have pounded my head against the very tree we were under, but I knew she enjoyed the pseudo-compliments. "But apparently you hoped for otherwise. Tell me, do you have any recommendations as to what I should be thinking instead of fighting off a few people like I'm the alpha male?"

Her weight shifted slightly, and in the quickest moment Kairi's face was in front of my view of the sky. "Well, unlike your irrelevant thoughts, I've been thinking about you. About how you _abruptly_ and _inappropriately_ walked into my life one night…" her hair fell around her face, making her smile all the more exclusive to my eyes, "how much I didn't want to believe that I fell for such a pervert, and about how that pervert needs to move his hand a good three inches higher."

"Oops." I quickly removed the hand that was resting on Kairi's backside. Totally didn't notice that. "Sorry. Though judging from your thoughts, you're already angry at me." I smiled sheepishly.

"Actually, you're wrong." She giggled mischievously. "Because despite all your perverted antics, I can't stop thinking about how cute your smile is, or about how you're such a _great_ kisser," as if it was rehearsed, she lowered her lips to meet mine in a quick kiss. "And most of all, I can't believe it has been two weeks since you asked me out."

I knew without a doubt that my face was graced with the goofiest of smiles. "You really know how to make a guy feel like he's worth something, Kairi." I ran my hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. "Fifty points."

"I guess that means I'm winning now, doesn't it?"

"It depends on how you look at it. You won my heart on the first day." I said as I pulled her in for another blissful kiss.

"Aww…" Kairi smiled adoringly. "That would be cute if we didn't meet in our bath towels. All you're saying is that you started liking me because you saw me half-naked." She rolled off me with a huff.

"What? Come on, Kairi! You know I didn't mean it like that!" This happens every time! I try to be romantic and I epically fail at it. Someone please save me.

"Sora, I'm kidding!" Kairi tossed an arm over my body, resuming her previous position. "I think it's cute that you're trying. You're getting better at this whole 'express things clearly' thing. Thirty points for effort and improvement!"

"You seem to be picking it up a lot faster than me." I pouted like a child.

"Oh Sora, don't be like that. As far as I'm concerned, these past two weeks have been the best thing to ever happen to me." Kairi's words were more than comforting. Again, she effortlessly brought a smile to my face and made me feel like the best guy in the world.

"Thanks, Kairi. I know I'm not exactly Prince Charming, but I try my best." I wrapped both of my arms around her and pulled her close, lightly kissing her cheeks and lips.

"And that's what counts." She laid her head on my shoulder, her warm breath lightly tickling my neck. We stayed there under the tree silently, content with hearing the other breathing. I constantly ran my hand up and down her back in a slow, comforting motion. "So what are you thinking about now?" Kairi asked softly.

"I can't believe it's already been two weeks. It sure passed by really quickly. I mean, things have been so great that sometimes I think it's all just a big dream." I let the last sentence sink in.

"I think I know what you mean. For all we know, the past three weeks, starting from our little meeting that night," we shared the kind of laugh that was only permissible in hindsight, "it all could have been a dream."

"Right." I nodded. "And is it so farfetched to think that? It's been the closest to perfect I think I'll ever encounter."

"You're right." She agreed thoughtfully. "But if you ask me, it's real. At least, I think it has to be. It certainly feels real, doesn't it?" As if to add emphasis, she gave me a long and breath-stealing kiss.

"Yeah…" I sighed happily. "That may be true, but maybe we're just having a realistic dream. That and reality aren't the same thing. I mean, how can you tell that you're not dreaming right this very second? That maybe this," I ran a finger from her ear to her chin, "is just a trick of your senses? That maybe all this time you were dreaming?"

"Well, let's put it this way." Kairi straightened up so that she was sitting up next to me. "How do you know the difference between reality and a realistic dream?"

"Because I've had them before." I answered simply. "Haven't you?"

She ignored my question. "Have you had any recently? Within the time we've known each other, that is."

I flushed in embarrassment. I think our relationship would be better off if I didn't go into the details of the contents. "Er, yeah… a few here and there." More like every night.

She brightened considerably. Guess that's a compliment? "Well then, you had to have been awake at some point, right? Otherwise, you could have just dreamed that you were having a realistic dream, when really you have no idea what a realistic dream is at all. Knowing that you have had realistic dreams before means that you had to have been awake at some point. Now let's say this is right. Since you had realistic dreams recently, our relationship has to be real."

"Well…" I tried to come up with something reasonable to counter, but nothing came to mind. I groaned in frustration. "Oh no. I'm going to lose every argument in this relationship, aren't I?" The future never looked so bleak.

Kairi found the humor in it though, reveling in her victory. "I'd say so, yes."

My cell phone rang before I could gripe about the matter. Kairi snuck a peek at the caller ID before I answered.

"Roxas, what's up?"

"I told you we should have called— Sora, where are you guys? Naminé and I have been at 7th Heaven for ten minutes now." While I heard Naminé mumbling something in the background, I looked to Kairi and mouthed their location.

"Oh, my bad… what time is it? I thought we had like two hours before dinner." We've been here in the park for what felt like half an hour. We were that late?

"Yeah, and it has been about… oh yeah, two hours and ten minutes. Where the hell are you guys?"

"Oh, we've been in the park for a little while."

"Then get your—" I heard that someone else took the phone. "Hi Sora, it's Naminé. Roxas is hungry. You know how he gets."

"Ha, yeah. Sorry we're late, Kairi and I lost track of time." I motioned to Kairi and pointed in the direction of my car.

"That's okay. I'm going to take Roxas inside and grab an appetizer. Just look for us when you get here."

"That'll work. Thanks Naminé." After hanging up, I turned to Kairi. "We're late for the double date."

She looked at her phone and followed me to the lot. "I can't believe time passed by that quickly. I think we spent too much time at my house."

My face grew hot when I thought about it. "I enjoyed it too much and I can't seem to bring myself to regret it."

Kairi laughed, sliding her hand into mine. "Well neither can I. But we can't make a habit out of that. I mean, making out before _every_ event? We have places to go." She winked jokingly.

"There simply isn't enough time in the day to do everything you want. If we want to have some _fun_ before relaxing in the park, then they need to make days longer so we can do that." I said matter-of-factly.

"We can't exactly go about changing the way people measure time just so you have more hours in a day to kiss me, mister." Kairi doted.

"Can't we?" I said as we stopped at an intersection. I took the chance to steal a quick kiss. "Because I very much enjoy that, Miss Kairi."

* * *

"Hey guys! Took you long enough." Roxas greeted cheerily when we reached the table. He had already eaten half the basket of mozzarella sticks. "Let me guess: you two were making out and somehow lost track of time."

As right as he was, neither Kairi nor I acknowledged the accuracy of the statement. "I see you're not grumpy anymore. Thank goodness Naminé fed you." Kairi said as she slid into the booth. I sat down right next to her.

"So what did you two do to kill the time?" I asked as I opened the menu. I was feeling fat, so I decided on a platter of thirty wings. Hopefully that will do.

"Well, right after practice, I showered and met Naminé at her place." Roxas said vaguely. Naminé didn't finish with any details.

I turned to Kairi, who nodded.

We came to the consensus that they killed time in a similar manner.

"Oh don't look at each other like you know what happened." Naminé chided. "If you must know, I had Roxas help me finish packing."

"_Finish_ packing? I helped you _start_, my love." Roxas teased as he pulled her closer. She pushed away from him, but quickly wrapped her arm around his.

"Roxas, we finished packing. It's the same thing." She turned to us, noticing that I had taken a part of the appetizer. "I take you two spent your time at the park in the children's playground?"

"Nah. We just sat around somewhere and talked." Kairi brushed the joke off. "I can't believe you two are leaving tomorrow! Who are we supposed to double date with if you two are gone?"

"You could always try going on a date by yourselves, you know." Roxas leaned forward with a smile. "Or you could hang out with the group."

"Yeah, but sometimes the group gets a little crowded." I complained. Nothing against the group or anything, but I could do without all the spying (terrible, by the way) that they attempt when Kairi and I are alone.

"You could always double date with Ven and Aqua." Roxas suggested.

"Yeah, but they've been dating for… a while, right?" I looked to Kairi, who nodded.

"Basically, it's gonna be weird since they're at a whole different point in their relationship. With you guys, we feel like you're in the same boat. We're all new to this— well, you two have actually been stuck in some messed up phase for like _years_— and it's just comforting to know we're not alone." Kairi finished for me.

"Huh, I guess I see your point. I'd go so far as to say that we feel the same way." Roxas said thoughtfully.

The waiter appeared at our table seconds later, taking all of our orders. Our topic of conversation changed from there. Kairi and I found reason to complain in the fact that Roxas wasn't going to be training with Tifa. Kairi griped because Tifa could focus more attention on her; as for me, I had to take Roxas's place as Kairi's running and sprinting buddy. That meant waking up in the early morning to run an impossible distance with my girlfriend.

And no offense to Kairi, but that is time I'd rather not spend with her. Times like these are when you wish you dated someone a little less extraordinary…

"So have you guys hung out with anyone from the group besides us?" Roxas asked as he wrapped an arm around Naminé's waist.

"Just the girls for me. I mean, after this guy," Kairi ruffled my hair with a laugh, "they immediately called for a meeting. They wanted details."

"What exactly did you tell them?" I tilted my head in her direction.

"Oh you know… just about how you're such a terrible kisser." Kairi joked.

"Well, you're a great one, so I guess it cancels out." I shot back with a smile. I heard Naminé coo at the reply; Roxas pretended to gag.

"You two are so adorable." The blonde complimented. Her boyfriend thought otherwise.

"I think it'd be cute if it wasn't so cheesy." Roxas rolled his eyes. Whatever. He was just jealous. "What about you Sora? Do anything besides Kairi?"

"Roxas!" Naminé smacked him in the arm. Kairi and I just laughed.

"Don't worry about it. I know he's joking. And if you must know, I went paintballing with most of the guys last week, and I went rock climbing at the gym with Riku like four days ago. This of course was all done while you two," I pointed a finger at Roxas and Kairi, "were at hell camp."

"Call it what you want Sora, but Roxas and I earned our rank on Destiny Islands." I watched Kairi give Roxas a high five. "We don't exactly get to where we are without all the work."

"True. No doubt you two have earned it." I nodded in agreement.

Dinner proceeded without incident. Bonus: Naminé and Kairi didn't enter the bathroom and disappear for fifteen minutes as they explored Narnia. At least, that's what I think they do.

As much as we have hung out with the couple opposite us, we never ran out of things to talk about. It was actually fun to watch them too. After that concluded, Roxas invited us to watch a movie at his house.

"I'm picking the movie this time. I'm thinking _Up. _Sound good to you guys?" Naminé asked as we walked to our cars.

Kairi looked at me expectantly. I guess Naminé knew she was okay with it. "Go for it. I'm _up_ for anything." I said proudly. Roxas face palmed as Kairi and Naminé giggled.

"Can we please get in the car now? Before Sora kills us with his terrible jokes?" Roxas said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, see you there." Kairi waved him off and followed me to my car. "I feel bad for Roxas."

I looked at her in confusion. "What? Why?"

"Because his biological family doesn't buy him nice cars." Kairi teased as she got in. "You're such a spoiled child."

"Oh, whatever! I didn't ask for this." I explained as I started the car. "But I do love it. I'm bringing the roof down."

"Do as you desire, Sora." Kairi leaned forward, which I took as an invitation for a kiss. "Mm. I don't want to go to their house anymore."

"Their house?" Kairi laughed, buckling herself in. "They don't live together. And too bad, we're not going to ditch them because you want a piece of this."

"Excuse me, but I think I'm the one driving."

"Then I suggest you drive to Roxas's house." I raised an eyebrow, wondering if it was worth retorting. She rolled her eyes. "If you don't, then maybe you shouldn't expect anything soon."

Well, Roxas's house it is.

* * *

Movie night quickly degenerated into just another night of conversation and gossip.

"Hey Kairi…" I whispered to her. She turned to me and leaned closer. "When you shower, do you mostly stand with your back facing the showerhead or do you actually face it?"

"Sora, what kind of question is that?" Though she ridiculed me, she still found it funny.

"I'm just curious."

"From where did this thought stem, if I may ask? You weren't thinking anything perverted, were you?" Kairi raised a brow, crossing her arms in amusement.

"No, I was thinking about Roxas." Kairi's face contorted in disgust and sheer horror. "Not like that! We _just_ debated on soap bars versus body wash!"

Naminé and Roxas returned with four bowls of ice cream: two bowls each of strawberry and cookie dough. "Roxas and I have ice cream!" Naminé plopped onto the couch excitedly. I wanted to thank them for their impeccable timing.

"Cookie dough, huh? You would." Kairi laughed at her own little joke.

"Oh be quiet and eat your ice cream." Roxas brushed her off with a wave of his spoon. "I bring you ice cream and that's all you have to say to me."

"She's just jealous nothing like that ever happened between her and Sora." Naminé pulled Roxas's spoon hand down and kissed him on the cheek. Roxas returned the affection, and pretty soon it looked like a game of tag.

Of course. Because when I am insulted in what appears to be the vaguest manner possible, I too think it should lead to a romantic moment. Underhanded insults and romance go hand-in-hand.

"Will someone please explain what is going on? This is the second time you brought up cookie dough and I'm not going to be left out of the loop." I stubbornly crossed my arms to get my point across.

Kairi smiled wryly. "The same day I met you—"

"Meet, of course, is the proper term—" Roxas mumbled under his breath, causing Naminé to giggle.

"I found Naminé on top of— no, straddling Roxas in the kitchen." Kairi ignored Roxas and went on with her story. "Upon asking how such a vulgar event happened, Naminé explained that Roxas stole her cookie dough. The excuse sucked, but both of them enjoyed it."

"Most certainly." Roxas added with a lecherous smile. Naminé shook her head as a blush slowly crept up her face.

"Oh, and to answer your earlier question, Sora… I typically face forward when I shower. The only time I turn around is to wash my hair out." Kairi added nonchalantly as she ate another spoonful.

"Whoa, what were you two discussing while we were in the kitchen? Are you already planning the maneuvers of a shared shower or something?" Roxas laughed at his own joke.

"Roxas, don't go thinking that we're the same as you two!" Kairi warned and shook her spoon at her.

"Wait, you _told_ them?" Naminé jokingly acted shocked and smacked Roxas's shoulder. We all laughed. I guess it had to do with the fact that Naminé was the one to crack a dirty joke. She was usually the one to chastise Roxas when he would do that.

"So, back to our question game."Kairi raised her arms as if to calm a large crowd. "Do your parents still not know about you guys? I've always been curious since I think it's obvious that something has changed."

"Yeah," I sat up in my seat, waiting for the answer. "Since you two will be sharing a room and all on your little romantic getaway."

"That's not why _I'm_ asking," Kairi looked at me as if I had started terrible elevator conversation. "I just want to see if your parents noticed."

"They haven't, actually. But you can credit that to us." Roxas bragged with a smile. "We're just so good at what we do."

"What, acting like you normally do? It was practically already at that point…" I teased. Roxas narrowed his eyes.

"It's not that we don't want them to know— wait, that has something to do with it actually— it's just that we're not ready to tell them." Naminé explained. "I just don't know how they'll react. It's like you said Sora, there were so many signals that _might've_ made it seem like we were together—"

"Might have?" Kairi raised a skeptical brow.

"But after pressing the matter so many times and finding that Roxas and I weren't at that stage, they just assumed it would never happen." Naminé finished.

"Yeah. Our parents still joke about it because they don't think it'll ever happen..." Roxas paused in thought. "Damn, why is that? It's not like I took _that_ long."

A wow-you're-so-wrong silence fell over the room as Kairi and I shifted in our seats. Naminé chuckled and looked at Roxas seriously, "Did you really just say that?"

Roxas got the hint. "Okay, so maybe I took my time—" the stare turned into a glare, "so I took a long time…" Naminé was on the verge of pouting, "Fine, I took _eons and eons_ to finally admit that I was in love with you. Now will you _please_ stop pouting? I admit it. I failed hard."

Aww!" I cooed mockingly with Kairi. "He confessed to her again!"

"Why don't you ever confess to me like that, Sora? It's so adorable! In fact, do it now! Confess your undying love at my feet!"

I put my ice cream down (shocking, I know) and got down on one knee. "Kairi, for the longest time, I—"

"Ugh!" Roxas groaned loudly. I fell on the floor laughing. Kairi, her laughter making her too weak to even lock her hand around my wrist, sat bent over me. Naminé was trying to comfort Roxas, looking a little apologetic for being our accomplice.

"Roxas, you know they're only kidding. They're just mad that we have the better relationship. Naminé stuck her tongue out at us. I think we would've cared more if our sides weren't burning from laughing so hard. "And Kairi secretly wishes Sora was more romantic. That's why she teases."

"Yeah Sora, why can't you be romantic like Roxas?" Kairi teased.

"I would, but you might fall even harder for me, Miss Kairi." I rested my hands on my stomach and lied on the floor.

"That's true. But I hope it's comforting to know that no matter how much I like you… I'll never mount you for a bite of cookie dough!" I felt like my sides were ripped open all over again as a new wave of laughter hit me. Kairi somehow ended up on the floor next to me, her high pitched laughs ringing beside me.

"Kairi!" Naminé nearly screeched in embarrassment. I could see she was trying hard to fight a smile. "Why the hell would you use a word like _mount?_ We fell! Damn it, we fell! That's all that happened there!" Even Roxas started cracking up. "Roxas, don't laugh with them!"

For the next five minutes, everyone ripped on poor Naminé, who was left red-faced on the couch. She only dug herself into a deeper hole when she warned Roxas that she wouldn't be sleeping with him tonight if he continued. Of course, that only fueled the fire. Kairi and I could not stop laughing.

Period.

"That's it. I'm not going to miss you guys at all. I'm going to pretend neither of you exist on this vacation and just enjoy—"

"Sleeping with Roxas?" I suggested in between wheezes. Kairi whined, begging for a chance to breathe.

"Naminé, you know they're just jealous." Roxas pulled his girlfriend into a hug. She visibly relaxed and sighed.

"Yeah, well I don't like them anymore." She curled against him and hid her red face in his shoulder.

"Oh come on, we were just kidding!" Kairi wiped her eyes, pulling herself into a sitting position.

"You two are mean when you're together. I don't like you anymore." Naminé said without moving her head.

"Fine, fine, we'll stop making fun of you guys now. We're just secretly jealous. Right, Sora?"

"Yup!" It took all the effort I had to refrain from making another comment. "We just don't have what you guys have. We'll get there, but for now we'll be playing catch up." I flashed Kairi a smile. She returned it gratefully.

"See? All that time they were jealous of how we're a lot more attractive and perfect than they are." Kairi rolled her eyes at Roxas's methods of comfort. "They're just dysfunctional."

Naminé giggled. "I was kidding too, guys. You're both mean," I scratched the back of my head in embarrassment when Naminé looked at me, "but I think you two are adorable. You're certainly not dysfunctional."

"I think so." Roxas muttered offhandedly.

"Well, I'm glad we have your approval then. I don't think you'll see me without Sora nearby in the future. Isn't that right?" Kairi pretty much threw the ball onto my court.

"For sure. I'll always be with Kairi, as long as she wants me around." I said confidently. I felt myself wrapped in my girlfriend's arms, making me chuckle happily.

"See, Roxas? They're so cute."

"Meh. We're better." Roxas said nonchalantly. He stole a kiss before Naminé could chastise him.

It didn't take long for the night to end. From her spot on the floor, Kairi glanced at her phone and sighed, giving me a look.

"Time to go?" I asked as I propped myself up on my hand.

"Yup. Time to go." She waited for me to stand up before stretching her hand out. "Help me up now."

"Of course, master." Despite the sarcastic reply, I still complied. Roxas and Naminé silently watched the exchange.

"So I guess this is the last time in a week that we'll see you guys." Roxas dropped casually.

"You make it sound like we won't ever see you guys again!" I laughed, patting the blond on the back.

"Yeah, it's only a week, right? I think I can live without you two for a week. I don't like you guys _that_ much." Kairi's hand fell on my shoulder as she balanced herself. When she finally got her shoes on, she pulled the two into a hug. "Whatever. I'm going to miss you guys. Take lots of pictures and bring back lots of stories. Don't forget _anything_."

Roxas and I rolled our eyes. Here comes a cry fest and sentimental stuff and all the mushy stuff. "I'll still be here when you guys get back too, so there's no need to cry."

"We'll all see each other when we get back… okay, Naminé, time to let Kairi go…" Roxas stuck his hands between the girls, who were embracing the way only best friends could.

"Enjoy your trip, twin!" Kairi laughed as she finally released her blonde companion. Naminé laughed, wrapping her arm around Roxas.

"I will. As for you, try not to have _too_ much fun. I hear the guy with the crazy hair over there is way too wild." She tilted her head in my direction, an amused smile on her face.

"Wah wah wah, longest good-bye ever. Isn't it time to go now?" Roxas said exasperatedly. We all laughed, and Kairi and I finally stepped outside into the warm night.

"I never thought it'd get to the point where you'd kick us out." I told Roxas as I walked toward the car. "There's a first for everything, I suppose."

"Really guys! You have to tell me everything!" Kairi shouted as she opened the door.

"That means whatever goes on in the room too!" I finished for her. Roxas sighed again. Nevertheless, when we left the house, Roxas and Naminé stood by the door and happily waved us off.

Kairi sighed happily as she stared into the night sky. "I really like how we can drive with the roof down." She said quietly.

I smiled, but kept my eyes on the road. "I knew you'd see it my way." After a moment of silence, I turned to her. "Kairi? Something wrong?"

She looked so beautiful when she turned to me. I felt my face grew warm. I had almost forgotten how gorgeous she actually was. "Sora…"

"Yes?" I asked in an equally low tone.

"Let's go to the beach."

* * *

"Laws require that the coasts can't be lit up so brightly. The lights used to scare sea turtles away from the shore, so of course it was in effort to encourage them that our beaches were safe." Kairi explained as we sat in the sand. She picked up some sand and let it fall through her fingertips. I watched the breeze bend the stream of grains to fall in a more graceful manner.

"So has it been working?" I asked.

"I'd say more or less. It's only been in effect for a year now. I don't know if that's long enough, nor do I know the mating season of turtles. So even if we don't see any tonight, it might be." She leaned her head on my shoulder as she finished her sentence. I gently wrapped an arm around her.

"I think it's working." I finally said. Kairi quickly sat up and looked around excitedly.

"What? Do you see a turtle somewhere?" She asked me excitedly as she craned her neck.

"No… sorry, I didn't mean to excite you that much." I offered sheepishly. "But looking up, I'd say it's doing something." Kairi's eyes followed mine to see the star-filled sky.

It was such a clear and warm night. Not a cloud in sight. In fact, the beach was so dark that we couldn't see twenty meters out. There was nothing but the sound of crashing waves, a soft sea breeze, and the night sky to accompany Kairi and me.

"Kairi suddenly tackled me onto the sand, resting her head on my chest. "I like this."

"Tackling me?" I asked as I adjusted my position so she'd be more comfortable.

"No. Spending time with you. Just us, with nothing but perfect weather and a night sky more appropriate for a movie scene."

I ran my hand along her arm, gently caressing her. "Mm. I like this too."

We lied quietly in the sand, basking in each other's presence. The waves of sea foam were so calming that I was getting drowsy. I yawned, blinking away the build-up of tears in my eyes.

"Are you tired?" Kairi asked as she looked me in the eyes. I almost forgot to respond.

"N-no. I'm fine. Just getting a little too comfortable." I replied with a smile. She slowly lowered her lips onto mine. The breath I had rushed right out of me.

She parted from me. I slowly opened my eyes to see her smiling down at me. "You make me really happy, you know that?" she tucked her legs underneath her and stared at me endearingly.

I laughed, sitting up and wiping the sand off her knees. "I'm glad. As your boyfriend, it's my duty to do so, right?"

"Yup!" she giggled as she threw her arms around my neck. "I hope you're happy too."

"There's no greater satisfaction than seeing that beautiful smile on your face, Kairi." I gently leaned my forehead on hers. She placed her hands on my shoulders and once again stole my lips.

Goodness, I really _really_ liked this girl.

"I'm afraid that if this night continues any longer I'll start to doubt the reality of it." I hugged her tightly, returning the strong embrace she had on me. "I'm not going to wake up to find that this is a dream, am I?"

"Nope. This is all real. I promise." I said quietly. She slowly pulled away.

"Thank you, Sora." I raised a brow in question. "For taking me here. For being who you are and for liking me the way I am."

"You don't have to thank me, Kairi. I do it because I love seeing you this happy." She slowly stood, helping me up after establishing herself. She quickly pulled me into a hug.

"I don't want this night to end. I don't want you to go or to let go. I don't want to stop hugging you either. And I don't want to leave, but—"

"It's time to go already?" I finished for her. I felt her nod sadly. "All righty then. Let's go home."

* * *

After dropping Kairi off at her house, I was on cloud nine the whole drive home. I was almost in a daze when I pulled into the driveway of the Strife mansion, replaying the memories of the night over and over again in my mind. The sensation of all those kisses on her doorstep just wouldn't leave my mind.

At some point I managed to open the door and get inside. I didn't even notice that someone was waiting for me until it was too late.

"Getting back just now, Sora? I can see someone is enjoying his summer vacation."

I immediately reacted to the voice coming from the sofa. Sitting there was the last person I would've expected to find waiting. She pulled off her reading glasses and quietly closed her book, a trace of a smile gracing her all-too-familiar face.

"M-mom? What are you doing here?"

* * *

**Redeeming Endeavor: **First and foremost, HUGE THANKS to: **songs, Black-Dax, dearlybelovedangel, mookie muffin, unknown, silentmusic16, mattjesse, Krystal Lily Potter, Telracs1994, Loves Ironic Tragedy, Naivette, ultravioletpapercutsx, xTwichii, Fanfiction Fanatiction, Taygon55, HideYourFeathers, KHgatomon3444, iandin123, Princess of blah blah blah, Kaze the Renegade, hideki411, TinaalovesMints, angel, startscribbling12, Rivendell101, ShadowSpooky, Ziddy2343, Yellow Gummybear, LadyAxel22, ASTRIDINES, Harumaki, Dynasty021, mameido13, superkandybratz, SecretAgent99, Nicrafetix, Ghost, chibixbabe, Tayt63, khfan forlife, True-Light-San, jenyflo5483, xXPrincessMXx, Transitions End, Kikuichi, Electron Beam, ChocoIsu, young gun kid, anonymous, alpine2beaches, sashu, Lebrezie, MoonCastic, chaosshadow14, Ziddy2343, RoXas7, .-RINGY rina-., noheartx, hidden x charade, Draconic, and KH FF FTW acronyms.** I'd also like to thank everyone who alerted/favorited either M&M or myself. It really means a lot to hear so many enjoy this story that I apparently ditched for the the past half-year. Goodness.

Take care, everyone. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you around!


	17. Frustration

Chapter 17: Frustration

Sora didn't come to conditioning this morning.

I slowly combed my hair as I thought of reasons why he didn't. Even stranger, Miss Lockhart didn't give me a reason. She offered a simple "Someone came by and put him to work!" and that was the end of it. She followed that up with a mile-long warm up run.

Nothing against Miss Lockhart or anything, but conditioning would have been more bearable with him around.

I looked at myself one final time in the mirror. My coach invited me over when I asked about Sora (again) before we parted, so I was taking the offer up. After a quick shower at home, I was ready to go.

My mind buzzed with questions about who came by or what was happening. He wasn't answering my phone calls or texts (yes, I thought of that myself when I got home), and I couldn't help but feel a little worried. I constantly reminded myself that Miss Lockhart didn't think his absence was that big of a deal, so surely he was fine.

Right?

* * *

I pulled into a normal-looking driveway. I parked right behind Sora's car, deciding not to take the spot where Cloud parked his freakishly expensive-looking supercar. Everything seemed pretty normal to me.

Well, time to see what's going on.

I rang the doorbell, rocking on my heels as I waited for someone to answer. The door flew open seconds later with an apron-donning Miss Lockhart behind it.

"Hi! Glad you came, Kairi. We're having lunch when Cloud gets back, so make yourself at home. I'm pretty sure Sora's downstairs."

I didn't really have plans to stay for lunch, but before I could even say anything, she walked off. "Well I guess I'm staying longer than planned…" I closed the door behind me and made my way to the basement. The house was unusually quiet save for the sound of someone in the kitchen. I figured the twins were out.

I quietly walked down the stairs to Sora's temporary room.

It was extremely clean. No joke. It was shinier than Mr. Clean's head down here.

"Sora?" I called out into the seemingly-empty basement. Across the room, the bathroom door opened. Sora stepped out, holding a small rag and some sort of cleaning bottle.

"Kairi? When did you get here?" He seemed genuinely surprised. He didn't even smile.

I tried to ignore the fact that he didn't by joking with him. "Oh, I get it. No 'it's great to see you!' or 'hello,' huh? Just wondering how in the world I ended up here?"

He smiled at that, relieving me a little. "Oh come on. You know I didn't mean it like that." He put his cleaning supplies down and ran over to give me a hug. I melted into his arms. I told him the first thing that came to mind.

"You smell like bleach, Sora."

He laughed, parting from me slightly. "Sorry. I guess I shouldn't be hugging you then."

I quickly pulled him back into the hug. "Oh no you don't!" I squeezed him as hard as I could (and as long as I could) before he broke my grip by tickling my sides.

"I've been inhaling this stuff all morning and now you're trying to suffocate me?" Sora laughed, taking hold of my hands. "Are you out to get me now?"

"You got it." I tried to take my hands back, but that only helped him. He ended up behind me, forcing me to hug myself. "Well this is lovely."

I suppose Sora wanted to be sure that I took some time out of my day to show myself a little affection. I awkwardly patted my own back for the hell of it.

"Don't be so narcissistic, Kairi." Sora joked. I felt a finger poke my side.

Oh bitch you better n—

"Ah! Are you kidding me?" I squirmed in his grip, trying to free myself from his arms. Well, no I wasn't, but I did try to get away from his fingers. "I think I'm going to hurt you if you keep doing that."

"What, hugging you? The last time I let go you were trying to squeeze the air out of me. Seems to me I end up in pain no matter the outcome."

"Trust me, it was worth it. Now your brain has more room for— ah! Stop! Stop it!" I flailed just enough to break away from him. He laughed, jumping onto the couch and putting some distance between us.

"Kairi, you're too witty for your own good. Please tell me you'd shut your mouth if you were held at gunpoint." Sora smirked as he rested his chin on his arms.

I pretended to debate it, slowly walking toward him. "Depends, actually."

"_Actually,_" he emphasized my word with an oh-no-you-don't tone, "you're going to do whatever it takes to keep your life. That's the correct answer."

"Right. And if I can take him, or her, I will." I agreed with a clap.

He buried his face in his hands. "What have I gotten myself into? The length of this relationship will be based solely on your life expectancy."

I laughed, dropping into place next to him. "Shame, isn't it? I was hoping we'd be one of those old couples that end up married for over half a century."

He laughed with me, his eyes glimmering with mirth. I stared back, my smile ever-present on my face.

He pulled me into a hug, pulling me down to lie down with him. "I missed you, Kairi."

I looked down at him, failing to ignore the warm gushy feeling spreading through me. "Why didn't you come this morning? Without Roxas around, Miss Lockhart… well, showed why she's coaching two tennis powerhouses."

"Believe me, I would have if I were able." He shifted underneath me, a look of disappointment crossing his face.

"Why couldn't you?"

"It's kind of complicated…" he paused, as if waiting for me to say something. I stared, waiting until he continued. "My mother came in town last night. She's taking the weekend off to visit. And she… well, let's just say she had reason to make me clean."

I looked at him incredulously. "You couldn't come to conditioning with me because you didn't _clean your room_?"

"Well, not exactly. There was this whole thing that she got really angry about and—"

"Sora! Kairi! I hope you aren't doing anything naughty down there!" Miss Lockhart laughed from the top of the stairs. "Could you come up? I need a hand with everything here!" I quickly got off Sora and stood. Sure, she was one of the few adults who knew about our relationship, but I still didn't want her to see us like that. She'd make assumptions if she did.

"Yeah, we'll be right up!" I yelled back. Sora stood as well, sighing heavily.

"Kairi, I'll explain it later. My mom is probably still mad at me about everything, and… yeah." I nodded. Sure, I was a little confused, but I could wait. When we arrived in the kitchen, Miss Lockhart made us set the table outside in the back. The weather was definitely permitting a beautiful time for lunch. The sky held a collection of clouds that seemed to carry the perfect, cooling breeze at just the right intensity. If I had said the heat at conditioning was grueling, I'd have trouble convincing anyone given the current weather.

A few minutes later, everything was finished. Miss Lockhart lightly tapped her chin with her finger, probably going through her to-do list in her head.

"Kairi, did you let your parents know that you're staying here for lunch? Better give them a call so they don't worry." My coach suggested as she poured herself a glass of water.

"Oh!" I realized that since it was not in my plans (or at least originally) to stay for lunch, I hadn't told them anything at all. "I'm sure they won't mind."

Miss Lockhart smiled mirthfully. "Of course they won't mind. They know me. I'm not worried about their opinion of me, but if you told them you were popping by and didn't come home for another hour, don't you think you might cross their mind at least once?"

I rolled my eyes. My coach was going all parent-like on me. "Fine, fine. I still think they won't be bothered at all."

She sipped her water victoriously. "When you have kids of your own, you'll realize that they will always be a cause for worry."

I walked through the house to get to the driveway, fiddling with my keys along the way: I hadn't realized that I left my cell phone in the car. Just when I locked my car, a new one pulled into the driveway. I tried to go about casually, but when Cloud got out on the passenger's side, I stopped. The first reason was because I still was shocked to see him every now and then, and second because someone else drove him.

"Okay, we're even. No more spending, Aerith, or I—"

A woman with long brown hair stepped out the opposite side of the car and opened the door behind her own. "Or what? Cloud, if you think _I_ have spending issues, then you need to look in the mirror."

"Well unlike you, I _have_ the money to buy what I have," Cloud mirrored Aerith's actions, and out stepped Vaan sporting a new (and extremely large) water gun. Cloud let Vaan happily walk by and continued, "Plus, I already said I was sorry."

"Well I'll accept your apology when I pay you guys back for all the stuff you got for Sora. Had I known you were going to turn his room into some… I don't know, _crib_, then I would have made him stay and find a job.

Something clicked in my head just as the woman finished her statement. The woman that got out of the car with Cloud was Sora's mother.

_Holy crap._

I numbly turned around, greeting Vaan and Penelo absentmindedly as they followed me inside. The two adults behind me were still arguing about something, but I had stopped listening.

That woman was so… _young-looking_. And I did know that Sora's mother had him at a very young age, but… wow.

Things like that don't hit until you actually see the situation. Sora's mother was probably not even five years older than the twins' parents.

I dropped into a seat at the table next to Sora, who had been conversing with Tifa about what his plans were for the next school year. He turned to me shortly after the kids excitedly greeted their mom with their new toys.

"What's up?" he asked with worried eyes.

"Your… your mother looks really young, Sora. I-I mean I knew since you told me, but still…"

"You met my mom already?" He almost asked in a panic.

"Wow, this has to be the first time in a long time where I come home to a set table and food already made!" the very same woman who was arguing with Cloud earlier exclaimed joyously when her eyes fell on the table. "And the weather's so perfect too…"

"I did most of the work, but I'd be lying if I told you it was me single-handedly." Tifa joked. "How'd it go? I highly doubt everything went by without a hitch."

"Oh, for me and the kids, it did. Your silly husband was so convinced I'd kidnap your children. Too bad he's a celebrity. He was chased off so easily."

"Actually, I was more worried that you would leave the store with a giant trampoline. If it could fit in the trunk, I was sure you'd buy it for the kids." Cloud muttered as he gulped down a can of soda.

"You need to rethink your strategies. Obviously coming with me failed."

"To an extent, I suppose. A few water guns are permissible." Cloud quickly changed the subject. "Well enough about our buying feud. Why don't we have lunch?"

"That sounds like a good idea!" Sora spoke up for the first time since the adults came in. His mother realized this too as she looked at him. I couldn't help but feel nervous when I felt her eyes dart to me.

"Sora! Did you finish cleaning the basement?" she asked in a motherly tone.

"Yes, mom. I did everything as soon as I woke up." Sora replied as he filled his plate with bread and salad.

"Good. I expect this time that there aren't unusual objects on the floor this time." She smiled, looking back and forth between me and Sora. I suddenly felt self-conscious. "Sora, aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Huh? Oh!" He quickly dropped the bread roll he was about to eat. "Mom, this is Kairi. She's a friend of mine."

What?

I noticed that Cloud looked up from his plate to look at Sora, as if he too didn't believe what he just heard.

Sora's mom, however, merely smiled. I did my best to smile in return. "Hi there Miss Gainsborough, it's nice to finally meet you. Sora's told me a lot about you."

"Aww, just call me Aerith, Kairi!" she waved her hand with a laugh. "Tifa, is this…?"

"Yup! Kairi here is my little tennis prodigy!" Something in me seemed to drop when I saw Sora relax slightly. What was his deal? First he doesn't tell his mother that we're dating, and then he relaxes when my coach brings up tennis. Why? Is he worried that his mother will find out about us or something? But why does that bother him so much? "Isn't that right, Kairi?" Miss Lockhart shifted the attention back to me.

"Huh?" I focused my attention to my teacher. "Sorry, I didn't hear that."

"It's nothing, really. I was just bragging that I coached the two best high school tennis players on the island and was hoping for some back up." Tifa laughed amusedly. "Had I known you were going to be so modest, I wouldn't have done that."

"That's really impressive, Kairi! I hope to see you play some time." The brunette across the table said with genuine interest.

The thought of Sora's mom watching one of my games made my stomach flip. "If I find myself competing in a tournament in your area, I'll be sure to call Sora up so you guys can come!" I said with a smile.

Lunch proceeded without a hitch. Sora was unusually quiet the whole time, and his mother was seemed very interested in my tennis endeavors. She occasionally asked about Roxas too. Apparently Miss Lockhart had brought me up in conversations the day before.

"So I know Sora said that you two were friends, but I just have to ask," I stiffened, suspecting a question about us. "Sora wasn't any trouble for you while you were babysitting, correct? Otherwise I'd feel obligated to pay you too. I know he's a handful!"

I forced a laugh. Of course. "I have to admit, he didn't go to bed when I told him to." I joked with her. She and Miss Lockhart found it hilarious.

Brownie points… with a woman who didn't even know I was dating her son.

I guess they don't really count then.

* * *

I didn't eat much at lunch, and I really wasn't feeling up for anything afterward.

I found Sora's mom to be very friendly despite how nervous I felt around her. Though Sora was successful in keeping our relationship a secret (which, again, I found to be strange) I still couldn't shake the feeling that she just knew. She was a mother, after all.

"Kairi, do you want to stay and swim? We're probably going in the pool in half an hour and you're welcome to stay longer." Miss Lockhart offered as she loaded the dishwasher. I was alone in the kitchen with her. Sora was outside cleaning the table with his mother, and Cloud took the twins upstairs.

"No thanks. I think I should be heading home now anyway." I said distractedly. Every thought that buzzed through my mind seemed to be about Sora.

"Aww, okay then. If you change your mind, you can always come back!"

"Yeah, thanks. Tell the twins I said bye." I went outside to say good-bye to Sora and his mom.

"Wait! Let me walk you out, Kairi." Sora offered before I could dart away. His mother didn't seem to mind that he did.

He followed me all the way out to the car in silence. I was first to speak. "Guess I'll see you later?" I asked without looking at him. I don't know why, but I was mad at him. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. What the hell was wrong with _me?_

"Kairi… is something wrong?" Sora asked tentatively. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Does he seriously not understand why I'm angry right now?

"No, Sora. Nothing at all." Could he really not tell that something was bothering me? I felt like anyone with half a brain would notice how upset I was. I didn't see that coming at all. Hell, _nobody_ saw that coming. To me it looked like he was ashamed to admit it to his mother that we were dating. To me, it looked like Miss Lockhart and Cloud were just as confused as I was when he labeled me as his friend.

"Kairi, please don't leave without telling me what's wrong."

"What's wrong?" I finally managed to look at him. I already knew I was going to end up crying if this continued. "Why can't your mother know that we're dating? When we discussed this, you said your mother would have no problem with the fact that we were dating. Yet, here you are, a 'friend of mine' that's just walking me to my car. Second, next time you should tell me before you throw me under the bus in front of your mom! I wouldn't be half as pissed as I am now if you included me in this brilliant plan of yours!"

"Kairi, your parents don't know either—"

"I know that! But we talked about this before, and you said you were okay with them not knowing for a while!" I could feel my eyes watering. "Besides, my mom found out yesterday! She talked to me last night and told me she had noticed everything."

"Oh." That was all Sora said. Oh. Okay then.

"You know what, I need to go. Now." I quickly got into the car and started it. Sora quickly tapped on the window.

Okay, last try.

"Kairi, wait. Please. I'll tell her we're dating later, but right now—"

"No Sora, you wait. Explain to me why waiting a day longer will make all the difference. Explain why I have to get angry at you before you do _anything_ right! I can't think of a _single_ reason why you lying about our relationship is in any way justifiable. I can't think of a single reason why you wouldn't _let me know_ that you were going to do that! Is it so much to ask that I be given a heads up? Could you really find no time to say 'Kairi, we're hiding our relationship from my mom for a day'? Why couldn't you just involve me?" I angrily shifted the gear out of park.

"Kairi, it's not that! There's more to it, but I just don't know how to explain it! I just don't want my mom to think that I'm… I'm…"

Him. It was about him. He didn't want his mother to think badly of _him._

If I thought I couldn't get angrier, I was wrong. That was it: the tipping point. The tears fell from my eyes, right in front of him. I couldn't tell which of the two made me more upset: the fact that whatever problem was all about him or the fact that he just saw me cry about it.

"Sora, forget it. Just tell me later when you straighten it out. Tell me when it stops being about you and what your mommy thinks and when it starts being about us." I couldn't face him anymore.

I closed the window and pulled out as quickly and safely as humanly possible. I didn't even take a glance in his direction when I sped off.

He didn't tell his mother that we were dating. I guess that would have been much easier to deal with if I knew he was going to hide it. But why would he? Even Cloud and Miss Lockhart were surprised that he didn't even mention our relationship. So what was his reason? I don't know. I didn't stay to find out either. I felt betrayed. Whatever his reasons were, they were all about him and what his mother would think. Was he that ashamed of me that he couldn't say he was dating me?

I angrily swiped at my tears. I was so angry, hurt, and confused, and I wasn't even ready to listen to the answers.

I wanted to hide from all of it.

* * *

I tore my eyes away from my computer screen when my phone rang incessantly. I ignored the first two calls, figuring it was Sora calling with some bullshit answer.

This time I was going to give him a piece of my mind. I angrily stood and walked to my phone, glancing at the name of the caller displayed on the front.

Huh? Why was Riku calling me?

I quickly answered, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear. "Hello?"

Riku laughed to himself. "Finally! I was afraid I would have to make ten more calls before you picked up. Were you sleeping?"

I fell onto my bed with a huff. "No, I just wasn't picking up. I thought you were someone else." Before he could ask about who I was avoiding, I quickly threw a question at him. "So what's up? Surely you have a reason for dialing me so many times."

"Yes I do, Kairi. See. Xion canceled a dinner date with me and I'm definitely feeling hibachi grill tonight."

I found the energy to smile. "What am I to you, Riku? Your fall-back plan when someone can't make one of your dates?"

He had the audacity to confirm the idea. "Yeah, I guess you are. When no one else will go with me, who do you think I'll ask?"

"Your best friend?" I offered.

"My best friend of the opposite sex." He clarified. I rolled my eyes. "You and everyone else seem to think that I'm some sort of man whore. If that's the reputation you guys are giving me, then I have to live up to it."

"Oh please. We all know you're a monk."

"Exactly. I mean, if you just ignore all the stripping, petting—"

"Riku, I do not want to hear about all your sexual escapades. Please." I was borderline nauseous at the thought. I had to sit up to continue the conversation.

"Fine, fine. One day I'll go all the way though."

"Riku!"

"Okay! I'll stop, I promise." If he could see me right now, he would definitely know that I would hurt him if he didn't keep that promise. "Anyway, what do you say? Have dinner with me?"

I sat very still, contemplating whether or not I even felt like going. Earlier today, all I wanted to do was get away from Sora. I was so used to having a friend to run to, like Naminé or Roxas, but this time I was alone. In all honesty, after a good pillow bashing and a couple hours of sulking, I was ready for some friend time.

Lo and behold, Riku comes to my rescue. And even though dinner is probably not for another hour, I wanted to see someone. Anyone but Sora.

And admittedly, I wanted to get back at Sora. I was still so angry at the fact he denied our relationship in front of his mom. I don't think Riku would ever do something like that to a girl he liked.

With all my thoughts accounted for, I gave Riku an answer. "Sure. Pick me up along the way. I may be your back-up, but I'm still your date."

* * *

"It smells so good in here!" Riku exclaimed loudly upon entering the restaurant. I face palmed in embarrassment. I swear he did this stuff on purpose.

"Could you perhaps be quiet? I think everyone in this restaurant turned to look at the obnoxious kid who decided to announce his own entrance."

"Yeah, the obnoxiously handsome kid and his date. They're looking at us because we're beautiful, Kairi; not because we're loud."

There was absolutely no way this wasn't intentional.

I finally scolded Riku when we were seated at a large table that wrapped around a grill. "Are you serious, Riku? Are you _really_ going to be like this the whole time?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Depends. Are you willing to pay for yourself?" When my eyes widened, he looked confused. "Strange. They usually agree right away."

Okay. "Wow, I'm out of here." I made a motion to stand, but Riku merely laughed and dropped his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm kidding, Kairi. I'll stop now." When I relaxed a little bit, he opened his menu and scanned it. I followed suit, focusing on the price of every dish. After a short pause, he spoke again. "You're a bit on edge today. I was trying to get you going after that awfully quiet car ride. Since when do I dominate our conversations? Something is on your mind and you're not letting me in to help."

I lifted my head, watching as he continued to read. "I'm fine, Riku. Maybe I'm just quiet today."

"Ha, that's funny. A little birdie slipped me some information earlier today that you were avoiding someone."

I was suddenly furious and slammed my menu on the table. "Okay, what did he tell you? Is Sora coming to you now to fix all his problems because he pissed me off?"

Riku looked shocked, slowly folding his menu. "Jeez, Kairi. It was you. You said you were avoiding someone when I called earlier, remember?" I blinked. Oh yeah. I did.

I let a heavy sigh slip through my lips. "Whoa, sorry for snapping, Riku."

"It's all right. Apparently it's Sora's fault." He silenced himself as more people were seated around the grill. A waitress came by to take our drink orders; it wasn't until she left that our conversation resumed. "Kairi, what happened? You know you can talk to me about this stuff." He leaned forward, his eyes filled with concern.

"Riku, do we have to talk about this now?" I rubbed my arms in discomfort. When he continued staring at me, I slumped and let out a sigh. "Right now?"

"Better to get it out of the way so we can enjoy our date." He shrugged, leaning back so that the waitress could place his drink on the table.

I thanked her, immediately taking a long sip from my glass. "Fine. If you want to get dragged into this, listen up." I tried my best to tell him every single event with a straight and quiet tone, but I couldn't help but express my anger at times. Talking about it only made me feel worse about the thing. No, I didn't get some cathartic release. I just got… pissed. If I had forgotten about being angry at Sora earlier, then he just missed his chance to talk to me when I was ready to listen.

Riku merely nodded, vocalizing his agreements at certain times. It did make me feel better to see that I wasn't so wrong to feel what I did. The last time I walked out on Sora, Naminé slammed me with guilt. Riku was more agreeable. So it was easy to tell Riku the whole story while watching the chef cook our food.

"See, I just don't understand why he couldn't just let me know beforehand. We discussed who we thought we should keep our relationship from, and he said his mom would be perfectly fine with us." I placed my drink down rather loudly. "He said that! He also said that he didn't mind that my parents didn't know— by the way, my mom figured it out anyway— so I don't want you to pull some 'well that's not fair' card. I wouldn't be half as mad if he told me that his mom was not to know. Instead of feeling 'in' on the plan, I just felt like he threw me in front of the bus."

"Pretty dumb on his part." Riku snorted.

"Exactly!" I ripped the straw wrapper into tiny pieces. "And I guess it's all about him, and what his mother thinks about him. I don't have a problem with men who respect their mothers, but damn it, do _not_ leave me hanging to save your own skin. What, is he embarrassed that he's dating me? What about me makes him want to hide the fact that we're dating?" I groaned in frustration. "Ugh, I'm infuriated with him. It's not just because he didn't say I was his girlfriend. I'm mad because Sora didn't tell me what he was going to do. I'm pissed because instead of proudly standing next to me, he left me to answer for myself. I was left out of everything, Riku."

"I've noticed." Riku said after swallowing his food. "He obviously wasn't thinking."

"Tell me something I don't know. I know I've been saying the same thing over and over, but that's really just it." I rolled my eyes. After Riku grew silent, I raised a brow. "Well? Aren't you going to give me advice now? Surely you didn't invite me to dinner to hear me rant."

Riku smiled, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Didn't I? Maybe I did that so we could finally get a conversation." His smile turned into a wry smirk. "Maybe I'm glad to hear this. Maybe I took you out tonight because earlier I found out that Sora did something to hurt you." I suddenly heard my own heart loudly beating in my head. His next suggestion made my stomach drop. "Maybe I'm capitalizing on an opportunity to win you over."

The room quickly got warmer. I could feel my face heating up with it. This was not the direction I expected the conversation to take. "R-Riku…"

"What if I didn't really have a date tonight, Kairi? What if I just wanted it to be and you tonight, just like I've always wanted?" Riku's smile disappeared as he became more serious. Every passing second made me feel more uncomfortable. It was becoming unbearable.

"Riku, you wouldn't do that to a friend…" I tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak, restrained smile.

"Wouldn't I? You know Sora asked me if I still liked you before you two started dating. I told him that feelings like these don't go away. You know what he did a couple days later? Ask me for advice on how to ask you out." Riku's eyes hardened. He wasn't lying at all. "So tell me, Kairi. Would I just let a friend do all this to a girl I like? I told him I'd hurt him if he ever hurt you."

I shook my head. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. He looked so serious. He looked almost angry. This couldn't be happening. "N-No, Riku… I-I…"

"Again, I ask you…" He leaned back in his chair, his face as stoic as it could ever be. "Did I really have a date tonight, Kairi? How do you know I didn't ask you to come so I could tell you that I still like you…" He lightly tapped his fingers on the table for a second before meeting my eyes again. "…and that you belong with me and not him?"

* * *

**RE**: I'd like to thank _everyone_ who read, favorited, alerted, and reviewed M&M over the past couple... months. Special thanks goes out to **ShadowSpooky, Princess of blah blah blah, ****Krystal Lily Potter**, **Tsukasa Miyamoto, CandaceFace, KH FF FTW acronyms, Telracs1994, Transitions End, dearlybelovedangel, KHgatomon3444, LobaLu, .Color, dreamysleeper, noheartx, Harumaki, Ziddy2343, Spellbound a.k.a soragirl4ever, Tyjet Ansatsu, hideki411, TinaalovesMints, ChocoIsu, mattjesse, Ocean Starfly, anonymous reviewer, superkandybratz, GreyPurpleBlack, black-dax, SecretAgent99, Draconic, xTwichii, T3rran, young gun kid, KHForeva, towelie, Ayla The Librarian, ultravioletpapercutsx, Silver-09, Fightin'ForWhatILove, victory line, Shire Folk, **and **Ashley3wl.**

Take care, and I'll see you around!


	18. From Now On

Chapter 18: From Now On

"Stop it, Riku. That's enough."

My head was spinning. What the hell was going on?

The tension between us seemed to burn my skin. I felt so hot and itchy… I didn't feel right at all.

"As you wish." He voiced quietly. He diverted his line of sight and focused on staring into his lap.

We sat there, our meals already long forgotten. I kept my eyes trained on Riku, who refused to make eye contact. "Why did you do that, Riku? Why would you say things like that? It's not like you to make me choose." I gulped. "It's not something my best friend would do."

For a while, he let the silence sit between us. He finally looked up, a rueful smile on his face. "Sometimes you need a bad guy to push you back to the one who'll be there for you. Nothing like a common enemy to force two parties together."

"Common enemy?" I asked in confusion. Riku wasn't helping my dizziness.

"Well, you know what I mean. I just had to push you back towards Sora. When you think about it, who will you pick? Me or Sora?" He asked the question as plainly as it was.

I paused, slouching in my seat. "H-Him."

See?" Every aspect of scary Riku before had disappeared. He was normal again. I suddenly felt better. The air seemed to cool around me, and I felt I could breathe again. "And lesson number two: never assume you know the motives of the other party, Kairi. Never. You may think you thought it through, but if you ask me…" before he continued, he called the waitress over to ask for boxes so we could take home our food. "I still think you jumped to conclusions. Yes, you had reasoned this through your head, which is great. But you didn't listen to the _whole_ story. What did you tell me when he mentioned something about what his mom would think of him?"

I squeezed my hands into fists in shame. "I said I didn't stay to listen to his stupid and selfish reasons."

"And if you had stayed—thank you!" he quickly addressed the waitress and gave her a tip, "If you had stayed, then maybe you wouldn't be here with me right now."

I nodded slowly, feeling absolutely shitty. He was right. In a way, I did assume that Sora was worried about his own hide.

And then something dawned on me.

"Wait a second!" I nearly yelled as Riku stood. He paused, a small smile on his lips. "He told you! You knew all along whom I was avoiding, and you already knew what I was going to tell you!"

He laughed, nodding in affirmation. He pulled me out of my seat as I stared at him in shock. "Got that right. Who the hell do you think Sora calls when he has girl troubles? At least now that he does have them."

I found the energy to smile. "I see why. But please, never do that again. Never."

We made our way toward the door, both of us smiling this time. He stopped to talk to the hostess about something before meeting me at the door. He held his out hand. "Mint?"

"No thank you." I said with a smile. He knew I didn't like them. Explained why he only had one.

"Suit yourself." He held open the door in a gentlemanly manner. "After you."

"Why thank you, kind sir." I laughed and walked in front of him.

Just before the door finished closing, Riku played his final card. "Ugh, gross! Did you just fart?" He yelled as humanly possible.

I gave him a solid punch in the shoulder as the hostess laughed to herself.

* * *

"So did you really have a date with Xion today?" I asked out of curiosity. We were nearing my house, so the ride was almost over. Plus, the atmosphere between us had completely returned to normal, so I was ready to ask questions.

"Hell no." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That's tomorrow. I was trying to decide whether or not to take her to a steakhouse or the restaurant we just left. When Sora called me earlier today, I found a way to go to both."

I laughed, rolling my eyes and leaning my head on the window. "Ah, the lifestyle of a playboy. And a big spender."

"Got that right." He joked as we reached my neighborhood. "I'm glad you agreed to come today, Kairi."

I looked at him. He kept his eyes on the road, but his smile told me everything. "Me too, Riku. Thanks a ton." He parked in the driveway, but I made no motion to get out.

"What? Did you enjoy our date so much that you don't want it to end now?" He asked amusedly.

"No. I'm just wondering how Sora and I lucked out with a person like you."

"Yeah, I'm kind of amazing, aren't I?" He flexed his arms playfully as I laughed. We sat in a comfortable silence before he spoke up again. "Honestly, I feel like I'm the lucky one. When Sora came along, he gave me the chance to get over you."

The nature of his confession was so surprising I almost didn't believe I heard him correctly. "What did you say?"

"You know," He opened the glove compartment in between us and pulled out two tickets. "I bought these fair tickets a month ago, planning on asking you out again this summer. Then, Sora came along and swept you right off your feet. Obviously, I had to scrap that plan. So," he held out the tickets for me to take. Being as shocked as I was, I didn't reach up to grab them. I simply stared at him. He laughed before placing them in my hand. "You two should use it. And don't feel bad for me, please. I won't have any trouble finding a girl who likes me. Believe that."

I gripped the tickets, trying hard to listen to him. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" he asked. He still seemed so happy. "It's amazing to see you guys together. When you're mad at me, that's it. You're just mad. When you're mad at him, you're also miserable. Both of you are. If that's any indication that you two need each other, then… well, I'm sure I could find other ones!"

"Riku…" I felt awful all of a sudden. Was this my fault?

"Kairi, don't look so sad. Really. The date didn't suck that much, did it?" I shook my head, trying my best to smile. "I had fun tonight, but someone is still waiting for you. I think it's best that you two settle this yourself. Learn to listen to each other, you know? I can't solve all your problems now."

I choked out a laugh, nodding fervently. I finally managed to shake away the tears in my eyes. "Thanks, Riku. You're the best."

He smiled, taking hold of my hand. "You are always welcome, Kairi. Both of you are." He gave my hand a squeeze before releasing his hold. "Now get out and give that poor guy a call! He's probably tearing rose petals at this point, watching chick flicks and everything."

I laughed, opening the door and getting out of his car. I gave him a wave as I walked to my front door. Just as I was about to unlock the door, I remembered I had one last thing to do.

I ran over to him, knocking on his window. He rolled it down, the smile having never left his face.

"What's up?"

I took a deep breath. "Riku, what would you have done if you really did win me over at dinner?" I asked seriously. "If instead I believed everything you said and went with you tonight?"

A look of surprise crossed his face before he laughed. "You know, I always seem to laugh more around you…" he thought out loud. He looked at me then, and with a smile he answered, "Good night, Kairi."

I smiled back. But before I left, I placed my hand on his cheek and kissed the other.

"Good night, Riku."

With that, I quickly ran back to my door, giving him a final wave before I entered the house.

* * *

The first thing I did the next morning was call Sora. Before he could get a single word in, I quickly gave him directions. "Come pick me up when Miss Lockhart returns home from conditioning. That should tell you that it would be the perfect time to leave the house. You're buying me ice cream."

He was silent for a bit before he asked, "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" I laughed. He did too, before quickly agreeing and hanging up.

I forgot how much I missed him.

* * *

The first thing I did upon seeing him was attempt to squeeze the life out of him. He didn't seem to mind. He just laughed and squeezed back.

The conversation during the car ride didn't address any of the problems from yesterday. Instead we talked about whatever we wanted: the songs on the radio, the strangely dressed people at the intersection that were advertising for some store, and anything we could think of. It was us again. Sora and Kairi.

We arrived at the ice cream parlor, promising each other that we'd beat each other to the counter. Sora refused to unlock the doors until he felt I was out of focus.

I still beat him to the counter.

We ordered some strawberry ice cream and made our way outside, sitting under one of the many umbrellas set up in the front. The weather was amazing, just as it had been yesterday. Though it was a bit warmer, the ice cream just made it all better.

It got to the point where we finished our ice cream and couldn't ignore it anymore. We both knew it was coming anyway. I placed my finished cup on the table, staring straight at Sora. He smiled knowingly, doing the same.

"Should I go first?" He asked, placing his hands on the table. I shook my head, taking his hands in my own.

"No, I will. First off, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. I was just so angry I didn't want to be around you. I guess I really haven't changed much at all."

"Understandable." He gave my hands a squeeze, indicating that he already forgave me.

"And second, I kissed Riku." With that, his mouth dropped opened. He raised a brow, waiting to hear me out. "On the cheek. Relax. I wanted to thank him. For both of us." I shrugged. If he wanted to be mad at me for that, then he could. But I felt like Riku really solved everything for us. "Knowing me, had Riku not intervened, I'd still be stubborn and locked away in my room right now."

He grinned, nodding his head quickly. "Okay, I understand. Let's not dwell on that, please."

He was awfully forgiving it made me feel guilty. Why wasn't I like him? Brushing the thought away, I then said, "After that, I slept with him."

Sora coughed upon hearing that. "What?" he exploded.

"I'm kidding! Kidding!" I quickly held up my hands in defense. "I'm sorry, that was definitely too much! I only wanted to make a joke!" I laughed at him. He gave me a dirty look before smiling himself.

"Kairi, I just learned that I'd forgive you for _almost_ everything." He said as he slammed his head on the table. I laughed, placing my hands on his cheeks.

"Sora, I was angry at you, but not _that _angry." I kissed his lips before leaning back in my seat. I debated whether or not I wanted to tell Sora about what Riku said last night, but I decided against it. Riku wanted me to hear that. It was his way of closure, and I felt that it was between us. Sora didn't have to know. "That's it. I've said what I've had to and I need to be the listener. Now tell me whatever I need to hear. I'm ready now."

"All right…" He sat up, his eyes sincere and strong. "Okay. So I guess I should start with how this all started. Two nights ago. After dropping you off, I went home… uh, obviously." He said more to himself. He scratched the back of his head with one of his hands. "And when I walked in, my mom was waiting for me. My mom's actually a really nice person… until she finds a reason to be angry. And wow, she was angry…"

"Why?" I felt compelled to ask. He looked away, embarrassed, before continuing his story.

"Well, do you remember that night of the party? When _everyone_ came over to Tifa's place?"

"Yup. What has that got to do with anything?"

"Everything, actually. So… I'm just gonna say it. Axel kind of left a condom under my pillow."

Well that was unexpected. "Ew. How? Weren't we all together? And Larxene wasn't there—"

"Oh no, not used!" Sora said quickly, his face getting red. "It was just… you know. There. Well, I found it that night and kinda just threw it away."

"I don't understand why you're telling me this. Are you saying your mom went through your trash?" A strange scene played out in my mind involving Sora's mother dumping all his trash on the floor and finding the thing.

"No— see, that's just it. I didn't throw it away in the trash."

I raised a brow. "Were you saving it for something…?" I asked cautiously.

"N-No! Of course not! I wouldn't— well, no offense… I mean… I mean I wouldn't mind, but—"

"Sora." I made him stop talking before it got awkward. Not that it already wasn't the case. "Just continue the story."

"Right." He cleared his throat, wiping the palms of his hands on his lap. "So I threw it across the room because it surprised me. Anyway, when Tifa was showing my mother the room set up Cloud made— and wow, my mom was _not_ happy about that— she found the condom. I guess it was in an inconspicuous area, but she immediately picked it up. She assumed— correctly— that Tifa didn't know about it."

"I guess that explains why they were so surprised when you said I wasn't your girlfriend." I thought to myself. I hadn't realized I actually spoke.

"What?"

"Nothing. Go on, I'm listening."

He nodded. "So that night, she talked to me. She was so furious; she told me that they allowed me to stay here for the summer and all I was doing was 'fooling around' and taking advantage of them. She basically thought I was looking to… get laid or something. I was basically grounded. And then you showed up the next day. I guess I didn't think about the consequences of what I was doing."

"Sora, why didn't you just tell her?" I tried to ask, but he shook his head.

"I just… I was so scared that she'd think less of you, you know? If I told her that I was dating you— the girl who was babysitting the twins— I was just worried. I didn't want her to think you were… you know, sleeping with me or something. I just didn't want her to hate you. We were alone in that house for a week. Then she comes by a couple weeks later and we're dating. I just didn't want her to think like that."

"Sora…"

"And I'm sorry for not telling you. I just didn't know how. I was scared that you would think less of me. I thought you would see me as just another guy that wants to get laid. I should've talked to you about it first."

"But you really couldn't, Sora. You didn't get a chance." I tried to make him feel less terrible about it all. "I... wasn't very receptive either."

He sat silently for a while, fidgeting in his seat. "Kairi, I'm really sorry for screwing things up. I just got scared and I wasn't thinking clearly. I don't want my mom to hate you— not that it would change my feelings for you— but you're my first girlfriend. I wanted her to see you for how amazing you are, not as some girl I was sleeping with."

"Oh gosh, Sora…" I shook my head, a small smile appearing on my face. "You are way too concerned about other people. If you ask me, I don't think your mom would have cared if she knew we were dating."

"She doesn't." he said as he looked to the side. I blinked twice in shock. "She kinda watched us outside. She wasn't convinced at the table, so she did a little spying. I ended up telling her everything."

"Oh…" I was at a loss for words. "That's great, I guess."

He laughed. "Let's see you say that again. She allowed me to go out today on one condition."

"Wait, you're still grounded?" I asked quickly. "I thought you explained everything to her."

"No, I'm not grounded. But she's my mother, so she invoked her right to detain me if she pleased." I laughed, nodding in understanding. "She said I had to bring you by for dinner tonight."

I immediately stopped laughing. "Huh?"

"You heard me." He stated with a grin. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Great. If I wasn't nervous before…"

"Why are you so nervous? She approves of our relationship!" he grinned widely.

"Why did I have to date such a momma's boy?" I asked the sky dramatically.

"Hey! I am not!"

* * *

The whole car ride home, we were joking about hypothetical situations and counting the many ways dinner could go wrong. Sora was dropping me off, relenting when I told him I needed to wear something nicer when I came over today.

Boys just don't understand these things.

When we arrived at my house, I invited him to come in. Though he was reluctant to do so (since my parents weren't home), I managed to convince him that I was absolutely sure my parents wouldn't be arriving any time soon.

"They'll be here when they're done working. Probably five thirty or six."

"You better be right. There is no way in hell I'm hiding in your closet again." He looked around as I opened the front door, obviously paranoid.

"That wouldn't have been as nerve wracking if you hadn't fallen. You're lucky I'm a good liar." I closed the door, locking it after he entered.

"You have a dark closet. I couldn't see where I was stepping." He reasoned.

"Who doesn't have a dark closet?" I asked with a roll of my eyes. "Come on. Let's see if there's anything to watch right now." He followed me to my room, dropping onto my bed with a sigh.

"You have a comfortable bed." He said after a while.

"I know. It helps when you want to sleep at night."

Sora threw his hands up. "Oh gosh. Here she comes with her sass again."

"So dramatic." I ruffled his hair before lying next to him. "This movie good enough for you?"

"What's it called?"

"Don't know."

"Who's in it?"

"Beats me."

He stared at me for a while, alternating his sight between me and the movie. "Meh, we'll see." He said with a shrug.

To be honest, I didn't focus on the movie at all. For one thing, it was a little boring. On top of that, the only thing I could pay attention to was Sora's touch. He idly ran his hand along my arm, unknowingly sending shockwaves through my body.

After probably another five minutes of direct contact with him, I couldn't take it anymore. I turned myself around, meeting his curious eyes.

"Something wrong?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah. The movie is boring." I didn't give him any time to talk as I kissed him full on the lips. He immediately responded, pulling me closer to him.

His hands roamed wildl, leaving a trail of warmth wherever they went. It wasn't long before I slipped my hands underneath his shirt and touched him freely. He moaned into the kiss, encouraging me even more. I broke the kiss to take off his shirt. I jumped him as soon as it came off.

Sora had this effect on me that was simply out of my control. The sensations he made me feel drove me absolutely wild. I pressed my body against him, begging him to do more.

He reached under my shirt. His hands were so warm; I couldn't help myself from groaning. It wasn't long before I made him take my shirt off as well.

We rolled over. The feel of his skin on mine was intoxicating. I wanted more; when he didn't know whether or not he could do something, I placed his hands where I wanted them. I couldn't help but giggle when he shuddered in pleasure: the result of his hands on my chest.

"H-holy crap…" he said breathily. His expression told me that he couldn't believe where his hands were.

"Mm, somebody likes those." I said in between kisses. He nodded fervently. I pulled him closer, bringing his ear closer so I could whisper. "What are you waiting for?"

That drove him wild. His kisses became more passionate, and he finally got to that point that I so desired. I ran my hands along his naked back, humming in pleasure as he kissed my neck. His hair tickled my chest as he went lower, kissing the new area made available to him.

I couldn't control myself. The feelings and sensations he made me feel were entirely new and incredibly addicting. I couldn't get enough of it.

I needed more.

I pushed him lightly so I could sit up. He never stopped kissing me. I grabbed his hands, which still rested on my chest, and pulled his arms. I felt his hands on my back, and without breaking the kiss, I nudged them upward. He reached the clasp of my bra. "Finally." I said against his lips.

I opened my eyes to see his reaction. He slowly opened his and gulped. "A-are you sure?" He asked. His eyes showed a mix of lust and surprise.

I ran my hands up his neck and through his hair, teasing him a bit. "If you manage to get it open, then why not? You'll have to work for it though." I warned before pouncing on him. I copied what he had done to me earlier, trailing kisses from his chin to his ear, then all the way down to his neck. All the while he fumbled with the clasp.

"K-Kairi…" what was supposed to come out as a whine sounded more like a moan. "I can't get it open when you're doing that…"

I pulled away from him a bit, giggling when I saw him frowning as he tried to catch this breath. "Sorry, Sora. I'm not helping you with this one."

"Please?" he begged. It would have been more effective if he was able to keep his eyes locked with mine.

"Nope, not my problem." I pressed myself against him, his warm skin mixing with mine.

* * *

I stared at my ceiling fan as it spun slowly, trying to focus on one blade. I knew now what Naminé meant when she said that things could escalate at an alarming rate. I wondered if she knew anything about these kind of things as a 'make up' session. Failing to remember a recent time where Roxas and Namine fought, I brushed the thought away and focused on my boyfriend. My hands ran through Sora's wild hair, playing idly as we rested there. "Sora?"

"Hmm?" he answered. I looked down, giggling at him. He decided that the best place for his face was right in between my boobs.

"Are you going to come out now?" His hair tickled me when he shook his head. "Of course not. Anyway, I have new boundary rules. From now on, pants— and underwear— stay on at all times. Everything else… not so much."

Sora quickly lifted his face. "Wait, do bras count as underwear?" He looked so hopeful I had to tease him.

"Hmm…" I pretended to ponder it as he lied there waiting. "I guess technically it does count as underwear…" It took all the effort I had not to laugh his face dropped. "But no, bras don't count. Those can come off."

This time, I did laugh. My boyfriend's face rivaled that of a child's on Christmas morning. "Yes!" He immediately chose to bury his face in my chest again.

"You know," I played with his hair, slowly running my hands through it, "I'm never going to take it off for you."

He lifted his face again and frowned. "How was I supposed to know I was allowed to take your shirt off _and_ bra? Before today the boundary was that clothes stayed on."

"And it was going to be shirts can be taken off…" I pulled him up for a kiss, "but someone was doing so well I couldn't help but give him more." I watched as he smiled from the compliment. Great. Did you see that thing fly past the sun just now? I think it was his ego.

The things I do for the guy I like.

"Mm, Kai, you're amazing." Sora cooed as he hugged me tightly.

"I know, Sora. But now you're gonna hate me because I have to ask you to get off me so I can put my clothes back on."

"Aww, why?" He whined.

"Because we just made out for four hours— four, Sora— and I have things to do… where's my bra?"

Sora rolled off of me with a groan. "Do you have to put that back on?" He tried his best to look me in the eye. The poor guy.

I tried my best to ignore my insecurities." Sora, it's okay. You can look, I don't need your complete attention now anyway. And yes, I do need to wear one. You accept that, or other people will get to see what you can't seem to tear your eyes off of through my shirt."

He continued to stare. I always knew he was a pervert. "I'd rather that I be the only boy you allow to see you."

"That's what I thought." I peeked over the bed; there on the ground was my bra. I picked up quickly put it on.

Sora grunted in annoyance. "I hate that thing." He said childishly. I giggled, ruffling his hair when I finished putting it on.

"You know, you're gonna have to take it off every time you want it off."

"But it's so hard to take off! Who made it like that?" Sora complained as he buried his face in my pillow.

"I don't know. I almost thought it was Sora proof. Though I'm glad you finally got it. Took you only… what was it, ten minutes?"

"Stop teasing. I've never taken one off before. Nobody told me it'd be harder than unlocking a combination lock." Sora griped.

"Yeah, I suppose it is a little reassuring to see that you had no idea how to unclasp it." I laughed, putting my shirt back on. "Besides, it's not that hard."

He looked at me with a huge, perverted grin on his face. "Um, I beg to differ. It's actually very hard."

I gaped at him. Did he really just say that? "Wow. You're so gross."

"And if you ask my opinion, it'll be hard for a while." He laughed loudly when I gave him a dirty look. "I'm talking about the bra, Kairi. It takes practice! I don't know what's going on in that head of yours… nor do I want to."

"Sora, remember how I said we have new boundaries? I'm taking it back."

He threw himself at my feet like a crying child. "No!" he whined and pouted. "You're mean!"

"And you're gross." I walked away from him, leaving him lying on the floor. Who knew a bra could do so much?

I suppose that was one good thing about today. Any fear that Sora enjoyed cross dressing flew out the window after our little session.

Well, that and the fact that he's really never been with a girl. To be honest, I had doubts. He seemed to know what he was doing and its effect on me… until the bra, of course.

I tossed his shirt at him, watching as it landed on his face. "Put that back on. You have to go. My parents are going to be back in an hour and a half."

"What? It's that late already?"

"It's four thirty. I thought you might want to leave an hour before they are likely to come. What time is dinner?"

"Seven, but I want to get you early. Say… six."

"A whole hour early?" I brushed my hair, watching him slip his shirt on. "Could have told me earlier."

"Yeah, well…" He leaned against the door frame, twirling his keys around his finger. "You only have yourself to blame. If you hadn't seduced me, you would have ample time to get ready."

I stared at him for a long time, waiting for him to shift uncomfortably. When he didn't, I just felt the desire to piss him off. "Yeah, forget it. We're sticking with the old boundaries."

"Kairi!"

* * *

"I'd feel more prepared if you gave me enough time to get ready." I crossed my arms in annoyance. Sora chuckled, shaking his head in disagreement.

"You look fine, Kairi. And you had ample time. An hour is more than enough. Hell, that took forever."

"Not my problem." Sora opted to drive around for half an hour until my parents showed up to avoid suspicion. Of course, he also had to wait another twenty minutes with my parents as I got ready.

When we arrived at Miss Lockhart's house, I didn't want to get out of the car. Sure, I had eaten a meal with Sora's mom at the table before, but… now she knew we were dating. I wasn't meeting a friend's mom. I was meeting my _boyfriend's _mom.

Huge difference. Two completely different contexts.

"Will you relax? I said she would like you and she does. How could she hate someone so talented?"

"I hate a lot of talented people. You know those people who are good at everything? Sports, academics, looks?"

He nodded in half agreement. "Fine, then how can she hate someone who makes her son so happy?" He asked with a shrug.

Oh Sora. You really know how to win a girl over.

"All right. Let's get this over with."

I followed Sora inside, staying very close to him. I heard Miss Lockhart talking to someone about the intricacies of her oven while we made our way over.

I chose to stand right at the threshold: Sora's mom had her back turned, pulling glasses out of the cupboard.

"Mom, Tifa, I'm back with Kairi!" Sora announced to the room. I immediately felt like a specimen on display.

"Ah, nice to see you again, Kairi! How are you?"

"I'm good… well, sorry. I'm well." I corrected myself quickly. Gah, I really didn't like this pressure. I needed a distraction.

"I would hope so. I thought Sora here was going to come back, but I guess he stayed with you." She said with a smile.

Okay, how am I supposed to respond to that? Did she just explain something, or did she just indirectly ask me to stop stealing her son away from her? Don't I get a thesaurus to help me deal with this stuff? How about a how-to guide on how to answer your boyfriend's mother when she says something like that?

"Oh, yeah… he kinda was. I couldn't get rid of him!" I joked. Thankfully, she laughed. Can I claim those brownie points from yesterday?

"Now that I can believe. Why don't you guys sit at the table? I'll get the twins and we'll start."

"Pretty early dinner." Sora stated as he turned around.

"Cloud's leaving tonight. There's a new project on the way, and he's flying out to meet with the director tomorrow morning. I think it'd be appropriate if we give Tifa and her husband some alone time tonight—"

"Aerith! What the heck?" Miss Lockhart was absolutely mortified.

"—So we're going to start dinner early. I'll get the kids!"

We left Miss Lockhart protesting in the kitchen. Sora and I took seats right next to each other.

"You're well? Who says that?" Sora teased with a nudge.

"Educated and correct people." I raised my nose in the air as if he was lower than me. "A Neanderthal like yourself wouldn't understand."

Sora's lip curled in indecision. He let out a chuckle before saying, "I'm well with that."

I gave him a pity laugh.

* * *

Dinner was unusually lavish, yet casual. It looked like we were that one family that went to an expensive restaurant in jeans and t-shirts.

Only I was dressed a little classier than that in my white, strapless dress. Courtesy of my blond best friend.

I wish I wasn't the main attraction at dinner, but everyone had to ask me questions. The twins volunteered to tell their stories about their awesome experience when I babysat them. Miss Lockhart wouldn't stop talking about me either, bragging about the many tournaments I had won (failing to mention the ones I lost) and the scholarship offers schools were "throwing" at me. It only made me feel ever more scrutinized under Aerith's gaze.

"Kairi, where do you plan on attending college? With all these offers, you have so many doors open to you." The young mother asked me.

"Oh, I… uh, honestly, I haven't really made a decision yet. But if I had to choose, I would probably attend either Radiant Garden or just stay here at UDI."

"Radiant Garden? That's quite the school!" She seemed very impressed with my choices.

"Uh, yeah. Roxas is pretty sure he's going there, and I'm pretty sure Namine wants to follow him." I crumpled my napkin in my fist.

"That's wonderful." She took a long drink. "You know, I always questioned that school. Not only are they one of the highest ranked schools in the nation, but they also have the strongest sport program. They get the best of both worlds, you know?"

There it was again. Was she trying to say something else? Did she really disapprove of my choice?

"Yeah, funny how it turns out that way." I laughed weakly.

"There you go again." Miss Lockhart placed her silverware down on her empty plate. "Playing down your alma mater. It's okay to admit that you went to a great school, Aerith."

Sora's mother laughed, shaking her head quickly. "I wasn't trying to play it down! It's a great school. I'm glad you're considering it."

"W-wow. You went there?"

"I teach there." I froze. No way. "Well, undergraduate courses. I'm a lecturer for microbiology. I worked in the field for a few years before deciding that I wanted to teach." She clarified.

Well, this is the part where I remember all those articles I read that guys like girls that are similar to their mother. And after that part, I realize how much pressure I felt was dropped on me. Sora's mother was more of a person than I'd ever be.

And that frightened me to no end.

"Sora, are you going to follow Kairi like Namine and Roxas? That'd be so wonderful if both of you came to my school."

"Mom, you already know that there is absolutely no way I'm being admitted into that school." Sora reminded with a laugh.

"You never know! I'm sure I could pull some favors here and there!"

"Is that offer extended to my kids? Because if so, then I want in." Miss Lockhart chimed in with a snicker.

"Of course it is!" The brunette giggled like a teenager. She looked at me, "I also extend the invitation to you, Kairi, but you seem to be fine on your own. I'm glad Sora has yet another incentive to attend RGU."

"Mom, I don't recall Kairi ever saying that Radiant Garden was her top choice." Sora stood up, holding his plate in his hand. I guess he missed how his mother indirectly stated that she expected us to be dating a year from now. "Well, I'm done. May I be excused?"

"Of course! Be sure to wash all the dishes first." His mother held out her plate, waiting for him to take it. He groaned, but didn't talk back. "Oh, and after that, prepare me a hot chocolate! Milk and marshmallows, please." I stayed seated at the table, watching my coach converse animatedly with the most intimidating woman I ever met. Cloud quietly took the twins upstairs to give them a bath, probably planning on sending them to bed. I didn't want to interrupt the conversation between the two older women, so I merely sat there and stared at the table.

And I don't know how it happened, but suddenly I was alone with Sora's mother.

I choked down a mouthful of air. Why did Miss Lockhart leave?

"I've been wanting to talk to you, Kairi." Her voice reached my ears, so graceful and calm. "Would you mind following me to the living room? Sora will probably be finishing up soon anyway."

I nodded quickly, "Yeah, sure."

This is it. This is the part where his mother shows her true side and tells me that Sora is all she's ever had, and she's not about to let some girl that he's known for three weeks take her baby away. This is the part where she threatens me, makes me promise to either commit to him or break it off before it's too late.

"Have a seat… and don't look so nervous! Goodness, I can't possibly be that scary." I beg to differ. No. I grovel to differ. That's more intense. "So for some reason, I feel compelled to tell you my life story. You look like a good listener… so do you mind if we talk?"

"Not at all… Sora's told me a few things already, so uh…" I tried my best to pretend I was comfortable. I was failing hard.

"That's unusual of him. What'd he tell you?"

Well this is awkward. "Just how you… had him at a very young age. That's all."

She nodded, pursing her lips. Great. I just pissed her off. "That's definitely true. I was only nineteen when Sora was born." Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she played with one of her sleeves. "I was a genius, Kairi, and I'm not trying to be conceited. I was probably the most privileged girl in the town. I was born into a very wealthy and supportive family, so I received the best education offered. I graduated high school when I was sixteen. I chose Radiant Garden because it was the best possible school at the time." She ran a hand through her hair, looking very tired. "I had it all. I was so happy with life. I felt invincible. I got my undergraduate degree in three years, and I was also accepted into the medical program there. One of the first early admits. And then I met Sora's father."

I watched as a smile formed on her face at the memory. "He was such a charmer… and a good three years older than me. I told him I'd marry him if he asked me. After six months of dating him, he did. And then I found out I was about a month pregnant at the time." She took a long, deep breath before continuing. "That was probably the only time I ever saw my parents look at me with disappointment. They loved Zack. They loved me. And then I had to go around and do that to them… it was a tough time for all of us."

I listened carefully, wishing I knew how I was supposed to react. "Did… what about Zack's… Sora's grandparents. What about them?"

She looked at me and smiled. "You're rather sharp, Kairi." She complimented, adjusting herself on the couch. "His parents were a different story. They were _infuriated_ with the Zack. When we told them, Zack's father dragged him to the kitchen, asked him a question, and punched him across the face before he could answer it. He probably would have beat his own son had I not ran in with his mother. Sora's grandfather was beyond angry, but what he said that day… I still remember every single word."

"What did he say?" I asked quietly. The sound of running water stopped from the kitchen.

"You found a girl— an amazing woman with limitless opportunities and talent that touches every life she comes into contact with— and you go and derail her life with your own selfishness." She quoted from memory. "What will you do now? What will you do for her, the woman who made you the happiest man in the world? Think before you act, Zack. This time, you better _think_ before you decide what you'll do from here." She finished, her hands curling into fists. "There aren't many relationships that rival that between a man and his father. That seemed to change things between them… for the better, of course.

"I was lucky, Kairi. Lucky that I had everything working in my favor: my family was supportive, Zack stayed with me, and even his parents chose to stay involved. Every day, I remind myself how lucky I am and appreciate just how kindly the world has treated me. It's awfully strange…"

We sat there for a while, the only sound coming from the kitchen. Sora must've been putting away the dishes. "Miss Ga—"

"Aerith is fine." She interrupted with the correction.

Though I felt awkward addressing her that way, I still asked, "What happened to Sora's father?"

She smiled ruefully as she recalled the event. "His parents— my parents-in-law— were visiting in early December. Zack left to pick them up at the airport… Sora was only a two years old at the time… and there was a huge accident. A truck tire exploded on the highway, causing its driver to lose control. My husband and his parents were behind it. They died in the crash." She stated it as if read off a report. "It was like all the bad luck I had managed to avoid for the first twenty years of my life suddenly manifested. I lost a father, mother, and husband in less than a minute."

I immediately felt terrible for making her recall such a horrible memory. "I'm sorry… I didn't intend to make you relive it…"

"There's no need to apologize, Kairi. It's not your fault." Though she was the one who was sad, it still felt like she was the one comforting me. Sora came in with a grin on his face. The heavy atmosphere dissipated with his presence.

"All done! Hot chocolate is on the kitchen table. Do you want to make me do anything else or can I finally relax?" Sora asked his mom in mock disrespect.

"You can leave. How's that for starters?" She laughed as she stood. "I'm serious. I don't think either of you want to be around tonight. And I'm guessing you guys would rather I not be around for one of your dates?" she raised her brow, waiting for an answer. Sora looked at me before nodding timidly. "See? Now, I'm going to watch a loud action movie in the basement. Sora… be home before morning, please."

With that, she walked to the kitchen, leaving Sora and I alone in the living room.

"So what'd you guys talk about?" he asked, folding his hands behind his head.

"She just told me funny childhood stories. Like the one where you asked her why your pee-pee was so small."

"What?" He quickly went red in the face. "I never did that!"

"That's not what she told me." I told him matter-of-factly.

"It's not true…" he sulked off, probably to get his car keys. I laughed at his expense. When he came back, I had to tell him I was kidding. It was a bit depressing to see how quickly he deflated when I made a small joke.

Ha. Get it? 'Small' joke?

Fine. It was funny though. You just didn't laugh. Blame your_ limp_ sense of humor.

Ha! I'm a genius. Forget tennis, I'm a comedienne at heart.

Sora and I got into the car, cracking jokes about Cloud and Miss Lockhart and the inevitable mishap they would have with the twins. Just as Sora was bringing the roof down, Aerith appeared at the doorway.

"Kairi! Could you come here for a moment?" she beckoned. I gave Sora a shrug and got out of the car.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Kairi, you are a wonderful and very talented young lady with a great future in store for you. I… I guess I wanted to tell you that I'm happy for you and Sora. I honestly didn't try to scare you guys. I apologize." She assured me.

I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. "Th-thanks Aerith. That really means a lot to me."

"And…" She unclasped her hand, and I almost screamed in shock. "I know I can't control you guys… being around college kids made me realize that… so I'd rather you be safe than sorry."

"Aerith, I—"

"It's okay, Kairi. I don't think any less of you. You're making a better decision than I did when I was your age, and I actually admire that you guys chose to be responsible and… well, to be honest, I'd rather you hold onto this."

I looked down at her hand, then her eyes, then her hand again. This was beyond… wow.

Sora's mom just tried to give me a condom.

"Um, Aerith… Sora and I aren't like that… y-yet…" I added weakly. Realization dawned on her face, and she immediately flushed.

"Oh my goodness! Kairi, I am so sorry! I just thought… oh dear." For the first time, I saw Sora's dignified mother flustered. "Well then… just pretend that never happened. But wait! Just… you'll have to wear the pants, Kairi. If Sora is anything like his father…" Oh gosh. Disgusting visual. "Well, just don't give him everything he wants. He'll respect your decisions no matter what they are."

I'm glad I'm getting this talk _after_ Sora had a field day with my boobs. Sorry, it's just a tad bit late.

"R-right. Thanks, Aerith." I was unexpectedly pulled into a hug.

"Have fun, Kairi. I'm sure this won't be the last time we see each other." I nodded, walking back to the car. Sora was waiting patiently, drumming on the steering wheel.

"You two seem to have hit off." He said rather proudly. "Told you she was a nice person."

"Yeah…" I agreed, placing a kiss on his cheek. "She is."

* * *

We found ourselves at one of the best places to be around sundown. The sound of crashing waves was the most soothing sound in the world when paired with a cool and crisp evening air. The summer sun had yet to set, hovering just above the edge of the world. Sora and I sat side by side in the sand, our fingers entwined. I laid my head on Sora's shoulder, taking in the scent of the salty air. We were quiet, enjoying the moment with each other. It was just the two of us, with other people much farther down the shoreline.

I smiled to myself, tightening my grip on Sora's hand. Moments like these made me realize how much I loved having Sora around. I tried not to think about how much I'd miss it when he would have to leave.

"Kairi, do you think we'll be able to make this work?" Sora asked quietly. "When I leave, I'm going to miss this. Sure, I have the rest of the summer here, but… that's about a month and a half. The more I think of it, the more I want this summer to last longer."

I looked at him, never guessing that he'd be thinking about the same thing. I gave him a light push to the shoulder. "Well maybe you should've asked me out earlier. We would've got an extra day together." I told him.

He deadpanned. "C'mon, Kairi. What difference would a day have made? I'm talking about the whole summer that's bound to run out."

He was being awfully grim about it. "Well, in my humble opinion, Sora…" I leaned in close enough to whisper, "an extra day with you is something I would never take for granted." I finished with a kiss to his cheek. A grin slowly formed on his face.

"Heh, I guess you're right." He made himself comfortable, wrapping one of his arms around my waist. "We'll take this one day at a time, enjoying every moment to the fullest."

"And then we'll cross that bridge when we get there." I finished. "For now, we're going to watch the sunset. Then we'll gaze into each other's eyes, proclaim our love for each other, and drive off into the night."

"Never to come back again." Sora finished our dramatic and awfully cliché ever-after ending. "Sounds good. Can we pick up some fast food along the way?"

"Maybe. We'll have to squeeze that in between proclaiming our love for each other and driving off."

"Will we get married at some little chapel in the big city too?"

I shrugged. "Another conditional. That's solely dependent on whether or not we get ice cream too."

Sora looked at me, grinning wildly. "We really took this fantasy far."

"At least we have evidence that we somehow make our partner a better person." I giggled, wiping the sand off one of my hands. "We build off each other."

"Roxas and Namine can suck on that!" Sora pumped his fist into the air, making me laugh with him. "We clearly have the better relationship."

"Only because we don't like losing." I added. "Otherwise, they're close. _Close._"

We talked about trivial things as we waited for the sun to set. I never understood why the process seemed to speed up when it reached a certain point, but we immediately quieted when we noticed that the sun began to drift faster and faster. Warm colors splashed the sky as the sun dove into the sea, giving way for the night sky to settle in at the other edges of reds, pinks and oranges.

We didn't move for a while, perfectly content with sitting in the sand. We traded thoughts and memories, not wanting anything but each other at the moment. After the darker sky began to set in, we finally decided to leave. Sora, unwilling to part with me so early, suggested that we go downtown again.

Seeing as how I was unwilling to part from him too, there wasn't a hint of disagreement.

* * *

Some would probably tell me I was caught up in the honeymoon phase of a young relationship. If I was, then right now it was completely worth it.

"Did you like the movie?" Sora asked as he finished a bag of popcorn. He threw it out as we passed a trash can.

"It was better than I thought. I mean, given that we kinda showed up and picked the next movie time, it could have been worse." I held the door for an elderly couple before taking Sora's hand. "What about you?"

"It had its ups and downs. But I agree. Could've been worse for an on-the-fly movie…. What time is it?"

I checked my phone, disheartened as I read the clock. "Fifteen minutes until midnight."

"Home, then?" he released my hand and threw his arm over my shoulders. I nodded, walking slowly beside him.

The car ride was quiet; we really only talked when we caught the other staring. It was fun to tease him when he did that. Something as small as teasing each other seemed to have our stamp or identity on it. Just for us.

We arrived at my house quicker than I wanted. As soon as it was safe, I leaned toward Sora and captured his lips, sighing in bliss upon contact. "Do you want to come inside?" I asked in between my breaths.

"You know I'd love to." He told me before pulling back slightly. "But unlike you, I still have parents to win over." I nodded in understanding. Even though a small part of me urged me to ask him to reconsider, I drowned that out as quickly as possible.

"Thanks, Sora. I had a lot of fun today." I said as I got out of the car. "Oh, Sora?"

"Yeah?" he looked at me curiously with a grin on his face.

"Riku… he gave me two tickets to go to the fair— pier festival thing, whatever— and he thought we should go together. I don't suppose you'll be open in two weeks time?"

He let out a long sigh. "I don't know, Kairi. I do have a busy schedule, as you may know. I think I'll be able to squeeze you in though."

I rolled my eyes. So funny. "Well good. You never had a say in the matter anyway." I waved, walking away from his car.

"Kairi!" he called, rolling down the window. "Can I have one more kiss?" he pleaded with puppy dog eyes. I laughed, and just to tease him, placed a quick kiss on his forehead.

"Good night, little boy."

"Kairi!" he whined again. I laughed, relenting to his gaze. I lowered my face to his and kissed him, loving the wonderful feeling that spread throughout my body. I opened his eyes, just early enough to watch him slowly open his. "Mm. Good night, Kairi."

I ruffled his hair, flashing him another smile. Smiling was automatic around him. "Good night, Sora."

* * *

**RE:** Huge thanks to all you subscribers (alerts and favorites). It's wonderful to know that so many people are reading. Another thank you to the following people, who continue to contribute to my writing drive, my endeavor for greatness, and self-confidence: **Ziddy2343, dearlybelovedangel, Shire Folk, ShadowSpooky, Transitions End, Krystal Lily Potter, CandaceFace, .Color, roxasxnamine-ftw, GreyPurpleBlack, sunflowerb, Harumaki, Tyjet Ansatsu, noheartx, Kingdom Hearts Otaku, xXPrincessMXx, Spellbound a.k.a soragirl4ever, hideki411, black-dax, KH FF FTW acronyms, TinaalovesMints, KHgatomon3444, Ocean Starfly, mookie muffin, ItzStorytime, gr8azngirl, one1, Tsuraya-chan, DestinyKeyblader28, chibixbabe, GeorgiaPeaches, SecretAgent99, ultravioletpapercutsx, mattjesse, an1995616, young gun kid, ventus4ever, KtheHabit, Roxas33, and zestycrouton.**

Take care, everyone. I'll see you around!


	19. The Day Before the Last

Chapter 19: The Day Before the Last

"This is all your fault, Sora."

I rolled my eyes for the third time this car ride.

"Kairi, I'm sorry. I couldn't resist." I played along with her frustration. She wasn't going to let this die until we arrived. That was what I was hoping, at least.

Kairi repeatedly fixed her hair that continuously flew into her face. "Well now you're going to be punished. That's it. No more fun time for you." I tried hard to fight the smile that inevitably formed on my face. "This is not a laughing matter, Sora! I'm serious this time too. You're not getting any for a while."

I nodded, laughing as Kairi went on and on about how we won't be making out until I leave. This was probably the fifth occasion where she threatened to deny the… physical part of our relationship.

Not to sound cocky or anything, but I've always managed to convince her to lift the ban. I mean, what can I say? I can be very convincing when I want to be.

Kairi was currently steaming (both in anger and appearance, if I do say so myself) because of the predicament we somehow ended up in. See, today we're meeting up with all the people I met a couple months ago. You remember, right? The giant party Riku and I threw at Tifa's house? Well, someone promised that we were all going to get together again before the summer ended, and apparently today was the day to fulfill it.

We were _supposed_ to meet everyone at the beach at noon today. It was currently one in the afternoon. Why were we late?

Kairi and I were sidetracked. By each other, if you want specifics.

I arrived at Kairi's house ten minutes before noon. The timing was perfect: by then, she would have showered and been ready to go after her morning conditioning with Tifa and Roxas. Perhaps it was a mistake to go in her room and watch her get ready. She didn't stand a chance.

I should probably break it down. When you enter a relationship with someone, you're bound to learn things about them that very few, perhaps no one at all, would know. For example, not many people know that Kairi loves being hugged from behind. She loves the pleasant surprise. Also, nobody knows that kissing Kairi behind her ears drives her absolutely _wild_.

Nobody but me, that is. Armed with this knowledge, is it a surprise that I did both? She seemed completely fine with it after five seconds.

She still seemed fine when five seconds turned into five minutes. And when five minutes turned into an hour and five.

We might have been there for a while if Roxas hadn't called and ruined everything.

"That is the last time we make out in bathing suits. Hell, that is the last time we make out in general." Kairi brought me back to the present with one of her threats.

"Are you sure about that, Kairi? I actually liked that very much." I smirked. Her face looked a little red as she glared at me.

"Well I'm glad _you_ enjoyed it, because it's the last time it will ever happen. Ever." She crossed her arms and stared ahead, her hair flying around her face. It settled when we stopped at a red light.

"It's always better when the top's off." I spoke my thought aloud. Kairi looked at me in shock.

"Sora!"

I chuckled, realizing the double meaning in my words. "I was talking about the roof!" Should I say it? I'm going to. "Though I do like how easily bathing suit tops come off."

Mistake? Probably. Was it worth it? Probably not.

My comment made Kairi smile, but I could tell I put a nail into a coffin that was fast on track to be six feet under. "Wow. That just earned you another punishment: you're not getting a kiss from me for the next twenty four hours."

I threw my arms up in defeat. "I can't win with you. Remind me why you're punishing me again?"

"Because it's your fault that we're late to this beach party! If you hadn't… _come onto me_, then we would be at the party right now, having fun and not mad at each other!"

"Kairi, I'm not mad at you." How in the world did she come to that conclusion?

"Well I am!"

"Well you're really hot when you're mad."

"Really, Sora?" She used _that_ tone with me. "Are you really going to try to weasel your way out of this one with compliments?"

I stuck with my guns. "I'm sorry, but whatever anger you're trying to throw at me isn't really getting to me. You're being distracting, sitting there and whatnot." I made sure not to laugh when she rolled her eyes. "I can't stop thinking about what we were doing before we left for the beach. Why couldn't we just say we weren't going?"

She poked me hard in the shoulder. "Because the whole purpose of this party is to see you before you head back home in two days!" She crossed her arms, staring straight ahead as we approached the beach. "So quit thinking about making out. I wasn't kidding about what I said earlier."

I shrugged. "All the more to use my imagination then." I countered with a smirk. I'm sure she would've reached over to attack me if I wasn't in the process of parking.

Kairi got out of the car as soon as I was done. "You sicken me, pervert." she muttered.

"Seems we're both lovesick then." I said with a chuckle. As angry as Kairi was at me, it still made her laugh. Though, I think it was more of that sardonic type.

I helped Kairi with our bags in the trunk, taking the towels out of her hands. She glanced at me, did a double take, and groaned.

"Sora, what the hell is _that?_" Kairi pointedly eyed my bathing suit. I looked down. "Put that thing away!"

Oh.

My face burned with embarrassment. "Sorry, let me just _will_ it to go away!" I tried my best to hide it, but nothing helped. "Shit, is it really that noticeable?"

"Are you kidding me? It's huge, Sora… oh my gosh." We stared at each other for a moment, neither of us saying anything. "I can't deal with you right now." Kairi stomped off toward a set of tables where our group sat.

Okay, I admit. I smiled. Widely. How would you feel if your girlfriend called you huge?

"Kairi, come on!" I hung the towels over my shoulder so it would conveniently over up anything that shouldn't be seen in public. "Wait for me!"

"No!" she kept walking, turning around to shout at me. "And just for the record, you're small! Tight shorts won't fix the problem either!"

Oh come on. She's just saying that because she's mad at me.

* * *

"Sora! How have you been, man?" Tidus threw is arm over my shoulder. "How's life? How's summer? How's Kairi?" A bunch of guys cheered after the laugh question.

I shrugged off his arm. "That's for me to know, and for you guys to never find out." I cheerily bit into my hot dog, swallowing quickly so I could finish what I needed to say. "Sorry we were late, by the way."

"What held you up?" Hayner asked as he squirted an obnoxious amount of ketchup on his burger. "We we're afraid you weren't going to show up."

"Yeah, I thought you were heading to Kairi's after our practice this morning." Roxas stated. I had a feeling he knew exactly why we were late.

"Just a slight delay, is all." I decided it was time for a change of subject. "Hey, did anyone ask the girls if they're up for a volleyball rematch?"

Tidus laughed. "Are you crazy? They'll crush us on the sand. Plus, they'll wanna do either two against two or all play together. If you want to play them, I'm warning you: you will not get out unscathed."

"Dude, remember what happened to Axel and Demyx last summer?" Roxas nudged Hayner with a snicker.

"I try not to." Hayner shuddered. When he realized I was out of the loop, he clarified, "Demyx got a nosebleed. It was hilarious then, and now that I look back on it… pfft, still hilarious."

Our table seemed to laugh collectively. I looked around before asking, "Hey, where are those guys anyway?"

"On their way, late as usual." Roxas answered. "I'm pretty sure they won't show up for another hour… anyway, I'm done here. Anyone wanna head down to the beach now?"

Hayner groaned loudly. "Here he goes again, ditching us for his girlfriend. This has to be against man law."

"I don't know..." I started to come to Roxas's defense. "It might be against man law to prevent a guy from seeing his lady… unless, of course, he's ditching either a sports event party or a tradition. In that case I'd be on your side."

"And I have to agree with Sora." Tidus added his two cents. "And no, it's not because I have a girlfriend too."

"Well now that you guys have argued over my right to leave the table, I'll ask again: does anyone want to go down to the beach now?" Despite Hayner's grumbling, he got up from the table. Pence and Wakka also left, leaving me alone with Tidus and Ven.

It was only now that I noticed Ven had been abnormally quiet throughout the conversation. I inconspicuously observed him as I finished eating, waiting to see if he'd ever speak up. Instead, he continued to eat and drink mechanically. Something had to be on his mind.

"Ven, I almost forgot you were here. Something bothering you?" he looked up as if surprised he was acknowledged.

"Huh? Sorry Sora, I wasn't listening."

"I was wondering if something was bothering you." I repeated my concern. Tidus momentarily stopped eating to watch us.

"Oh, not really." He shook his head quickly. "How are things with you and Kairi?"

"We're great… I think. I did something to make her angry before we got here, but it's nothing major and she'll get over it soon." I answered with a smile. "Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "Just checking, I guess. That's good to hear…" he quietly went back to staring at his drink.

"Seriously, Ven. What's up?" I wasn't buying the all-good stuff he was spewing. There had to be something wrong.

Ven sighed, scratching his head in indecision. "Well… Aqua and I are on a break right now. We're debating whether or not we should continue dating because we're not going to the same university."

I blinked in surprise. "Oh… no chance of going to the same school?"

"None." Silence fell over the table. Tidus merely sat there, looking as if he wasn't sure he was supposed to be around. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. We have been dating for a while, and I'm sure we give the impression that we're really intimate… but in reality, we weren't so different from Roxas and Naminé. We're just two best friends that are very comfortable with each other."

"Jeez, I thought you guys... I mean, after dating that long, I sort of assumed…" Tidus looked at Ven knowingly.

"We didn't. We… actually never got that intimate, either. Just kisses and hugs… to set the record straight, clothes always stayed on. But I don't blame you for thinking that."

"So you guys haven't really been… dating then." I tried to make sense of whatever Ven was saying.

"No, we're officially dating… I guess you could say we became better friends from our relationship. Ugh, I don't know how to describe it."

"Like Roxas and Naminé _before_ they were dating, plus kisses?" Tidus offered.

"Yeah. I guess you could say that. If anything, I think we went backwards." Ven nodded. "Do you think we're making a mistake?"

"I really can't say…" Who was I to give dating advice when I have a total of two months dating experience? "You just gotta think about the consequences, which won't necessarily be bad."

"I don't think you're making a mistake, but I think you guys should try." Tidus chimed in. "I highly doubt Yuna and I are going to the same place, but we've already decided that we're gonna see what happens."

"I just don't want her to be unhappy…" Ven rested his head on the table. "Sometimes I wonder whether or not we'll be okay without each other. I'm so used to having someone there. Plus, I can't even think of being with anyone else."

"That's only natural, right?" I poured myself another cup of soda. "You guys are still together, after all. If you do decide to split, you guys will still be friends anyway, right?"

"I guess… the only thing that would make it awkward between us is our history, which is barely anything more than a friendship with kissing. I mean, I'm not saying I regret anything I did or didn't do. Just that staying friends is a huge possibility."

"And a chance to get back together, right?" Tidus added. "If you really think breaking it off before heading your separate ways is the right decision, then follow it. If you guys don't want to chance it, what's the possibility of getting back together if being single isn't what you guys want?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Ven went back to staring at his empty plate. "Sora, what will you and Kairi do? I know Tidus just said he's gonna try out the long-distance stuff. You and Kairi are getting a head start on that, aren't you?"

I nodded. "Yup. We've talked about it before and we're gonna try it out. Sure, being together in person is very different from video calls and text messages, but I'm not ready to let Kairi go already. This has been such an awesome summer because of her." I got up before finishing, "We'll talk about what to do after high school when we get there. For now, though, why not take advantage of the limited time where we can wake up every morning and meet up?"

"Good point." Tidus pointed out. "I like the way you guys think. I have a feeling you two will be dating for a while."

I took the compliment with a smile.

I walked to the beach on my own, scanning the area for Kairi. I saw her standing under a beach umbrella, clad in a red bikini. I immediately ran to her, hoping to scare her. She turned around as soon as I was within ten feet.

"Took you long enough!" She grinned, lowering her hand from her forehead. Guess she didn't notice my plot.

"I talked with Tidus and Ven for a bit. Learned a lot in just one conversation." I noticed her legs were covered in sand. She must've gotten out a while ago. "How was the water?"

"Awesome, as usual. It's nice to be at the beach when you're not being forced to run miles." She stretched as a cool breeze swept by. "Are you going in?"

I looked out into the water to see everyone in the water. "Maybe. I'll probably see why Riku and Xion keep laughing after I put some sunblock on."

"Out of everyone in the water, you're going to interrupt them?" Kairi asked as she picked up a bottle of sunscreen. I took off my shirt, tossing it underneath the umbrella.

"I'm sure whatever they're doing doesn't require privacy." I tensed as the cold lotion made contact with my back. "Thanks for the warning."

I felt Kairi's hands run up my back, slightly massaging my shoulders. I involuntarily shivered. "Almost done. Trust me; sunburn on your back will keep you up at night." I could feel her hands gravitating toward my sides, so I quickly snatched them up.

"I think I can handle it from here." I told her. She ignored me and continued to apply the sunblock on my chest. "Kairi…"

"Almost done Sora…" I was so close to crying out loud when her hands went down to my abdomen.

"Hey lovebi— oh gross! Call me when you're done screwing each other with your eyes! What is this, a public porno?" Selphie shrieked as she covered her eyes. Kairi and I simultaneously rolled the very eyes we were supposedly screwing each other with.

"What a wild exaggeration." Kairi said before kissing me. "I'm helping him apply sunscreen."

"Sora's a big boy, Kairi. If you wanted to feel him up, you should've found a room!" Selphie laughed as she spread out a beach towel on the sand. "Isn't that right, Sora?"

"Kairi was merely offering a helping hand." I said with a smirk. I had grown used to Selphie's jokes. She occasionally hung out with me and Kairi over the past month; surprisingly, she was hilarious and took the third-wheel role on as if it was a privilege. I came to learn that Selphie was by no means someone who wanted to be "trapped" in a committed relationship at such a young age.

"You would side with her." She stuck her tongue out before falling onto her back with a sigh. "I'm gonna miss you, Sora. Who am I going to make fun of when it's just Kairi?"

I shrugged. "Just make fun of Kairi. Can't you read her text messages out loud or something?"

"You could always just crash our internet dates." Kairi offered. I like how we were helping Selphie plan this.

"Meh, I suppose. You guys are just so fun to tease though! I could switch my focus to Naminé and Roxas, but they aren't as prone to sex jokes. They're too private and sneaky."

"I'm sure if you spied on them as much as you did us, you'd come to a different conclusion." Kairi cast a sideways glance as she wiped her hands on her arms. "Why don't you keep an eye on those two while Sora and I go for a swim?"

Selphie giggled mischievously. "Yes, the water will surely haze your inappropriate public touching. Go on, you two. I'll pretend you aren't there." She shooed us off with her hand as she put her sunglasses on. Why did I feel like we were being patronized?

Kairi didn't find any of Selphie's actions to be offensive and instead took my hand in a dash to the water. I had no choice to follow. Kairi turned around to make fun of me, so of course I had to reply with something witty. I almost took in a gulpful of seawater when a large wave unexpectedly splashed against Kairi's back.

"Thanks for the warning!" Kairi said sarcastically as she wiped her eyes. I stopped laughing when she splashed me multiple times.

"Maybe next time you should watch where you're going." I swiped her up, wrapping my arm around her torso. I dragged her as far as I could walk, stopping when the water reached my neck. "Well, you're on your own now."

"So you drag me out here like a ragdoll and then tell me I'm supposed to fend for myself? You're an awful boyfriend." Treading in the water, Kairi swam around me and wrapped her arms around my neck, using me to effortlessly stay afloat. "Newsflash, I'm shorter than you. I can't reach the floor without submerging myself."

"Then I'd call me a good boyfriend for being your makeshift flotation device." I unwrapped Kairi's arms from my neck and tucked an arm under her legs, lifting her up with ease. She felt almost weightless in the water. I held her bridal style, content with standing and swaying with each passing wave. "This is nice."

She hummed in agreement. "I could get used to this… and then we'd pruny and I'd have to reconsider. I wouldn't want your wrinkly fingers anywhere near my perfect skin."

"So what you're saying is that when we're old and ugly, you won't want anything to do with me?" I pouted.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sora. That is exactly what I mean. The only reason why I'm here with you now is because you're hot. That won't last forever." She stole a kiss before finishing, "But I'm going to enjoy you while I still can."

Despite my desire to call her the least romantic girl I have ever met, I smiled. "I guess I'll take my chances."

The sun felt absolutely wonderful as we waded in the water. The water felt cool against Kairi's warm and soft skin, a contrast I found sensational. Kairi leaned back into the water, tracing circles on my back with her finger. Her red hair floated on the surface of the clear water, shimming in the light. In the distance, I could see the others in their smaller groups, talking and splashing and yelling about who knows what. Selphie appeared to be asleep as she lay completely still in her place. So much for keeping tabs on Roxas and Naminé.

I stared at the couple across the water, noting how they interacted with others. Selphie was right. They were far more subtle about their relationship in public. Sure, it wasn't a secret (nor had it ever been), but they chose to keep their intimate moments to themselves. Rarely did I see them make such a public display of affection. I mean, Roxas liked to boast, but no one ever took him seriously.

It made me wonder what they did in private.

"Kairi, do you ever talk to anyone about our relationship?" I asked as I rocked her back and forth.

"I don't disclose details, but Selphie and Naminé have heard a story or two from me. Why do you ask?" she idly kicked up water with her feet, splashing both of us.

"Oh, I was just wondering if they talk to you too. I kind of figured you would rant about me anyway." Kairi laughed with a shake of her head. "And I guess I also wanted to ask… has Naminé told you anything about what she does with Roxas?"

"She hasn't told me anything besides the fact that she thinks things can escalate quickly." Kairi said in thought. "Hasn't really told me any details. Why do you ask?"

I adjusted my hold of Kairi, lightly hopping in the water. "You know how I was talking to Tidus and Ven earlier? Well, I found out that Ven and Aqua never made it past first base despite how long they have been dating. Tidus hinted that he and Yuna hadn't done anything… like us either. So I was wondering… do you think we're moving too fast?"

Kairi blinked before bursting out in laughter. "Wow! I never thought you would be the one who thought we went too far. We could always take a step back—"

"No!" I shouted a little too loudly. "That's not what I want at all!"

"I guess from now on we'll keep all our clothes on. Shirts and everything."

"Kairi!" I whined and pouted like a child, almost dropping her. "Don't do that. I like our boundaries."

Kairi gave me a slow, comforting kiss, sighing when we parted. "I do too, Sora. And I promise I won't change anything." She leaned in closer to whisper, "and you aren't the only one who finds it enjoyable."

Ugh. I hate it when she does that in public places.

"Kairi, remind me why we stopped what we were doing to come here." I kissed her neck, indicating what exactly was going through my mind.

She quickly pulled away from me, jumping out of my arms. "It's nice to take a break once in a while." She pressed her body against mine, pulling me into a hug. "And Sora? Don't let others influence our relationship. I know that sometimes it may seem like we're going fast, but I think we're doing just fine for two first timers. I'm comfortable with you. Are you comfortable with us?"

"Of course I am!" Didn't I make that obvious?

"Exactly. Please don't worry about me either. I'm not letting you do anything that I'm not comfortable with. You'll have to trust me on that one." She released me and started walking back to the group.

"Kairi, wait for me!" I caught up to her, walking by her side. "So does that mean that our boundaries are still the same?"

She nodded. "Of course. We may be moving faster than our friends, but we're about to have to hit the brakes for a while anyway."

"Yeah… we'll have to pick up where we leave off next time." I wrapped an arm over her shoulders. "Or maybe we'll have to play catch up and make up for lost time?" I smiled suggestively.

Kairi giggled before shrugging my arm off. "Keep dreaming, Sora. You aren't getting anything before you leave, if you already forgot."

I stopped, dumbfounded by her seriousness. "Oh come on! Please tell me you're joking!"

I dropped down tiredly into the sand after a crushing defeat at the hands of Yuna and Paine. Riku and I decided that we wanted to challenge them: I soon realized why none of the other guys wanted to team up with me.

"I'm pretty sure they just wanted to tire us out those last couple rounds." Riku panted as he leaned his weight on his knees. "We didn't even score until then."

I looked at the girls who had just beaten us, wondering how they were able to move about so effortlessly after that grueling game. "Is Kairi back yet?"

Just in time, Kairi returned with two water bottles she promised to bring back. "Wow, I sense some fatigue. Catch!" she tossed me a cold water bottle. If I wasn't so thirsty, I would've cried in joy.

"You're a life saver." Riku gasped with a smile as he took a long gulp. "I told you we were gonna lose." Riku shot at me.

I lifted myself into a sitting position, fastening the cap on tightly. "I didn't know it'd be that bad. It was like playing tennis with Kairi all over again."

"I beat him twelve times." Kairi told Riku proudly.

"I beat you once!"

"Yeah, when I played with my _left_ hand." Kairi rolled her eyes, eliciting a laugh from Riku.

"Sora, you seem to have this addiction for picking fights you absolutely cannot win." Riku seemed to finally catch his breath, stretching as he straightened himself up. "That, or you're just a dumb, egotistical moron that thinks he's the best at everything."

"I think it's the latter." Kairi added.

Oh, so now they were teaming up on me? "Please. It's because I _am_ better at everything than everyone. I just didn't want to crush anyone's hopes or dreams with my outrageous skill and talent." I said in the most pompous voice I could muster. I couldn't finish without laughing. Riku shoved me just enough to make me fall, muttering sarcastically about the loads of sincerity and athletic ability I possessed.

Over the past couple months, Riku has hung out with us from time to time. At first I thought it'd be awkward, but it's actually a lot more fun with him around. I guess I shouldn't have expected less from our best friend.

"Now as much as I enjoy your company," Kairi place her hands on each of our shoulders, "I'll be leaving you for my more feminine friends so we can talk about all you boys."

"Kairi, if you and the ladies wanted to converse about me, you could always do it in my company." Riku joked, feigning a macho persona.

"I'm sure you'd rather not be there as we discuss how awful your personality is." Kairi began to walk away.

"I'd like to think my looks make up for it!"

Kairi stopped, turning around on her heel to throw one last comment in. "Hmm. That's quite the ego there. You're obviously trying to make up for something." Oh! Burn! "Just like Sora."

Oh, come on! I didn't even say anything!

"Bye, Kairi!" I yelled angrily as she ran off laughing. "I swear, I'm sick of all these 'small' jokes."

"Oh come on, they're all for fun… unless you take them personally." Riku raised a suggestive brow, earning him a shove of his own. "Hey, Kairi said it, not me."

"You can be the one I beat up when I need an outlet for my frustration." I offered with a shrug. Riku merely fell into the sand next to me.

"Hey, Sora…" Riku took another gulp of his water before continuing, "What's gonna happen to you guys when you leave in a couple days?"

I stared at my girlfriend across the beach, watching her laugh at something Selphie said. "I don't really know. I mean, we're going to continue the relationship and everything, but… there's no guarantee to anything. We're going to do what we do best: improvise and go with the flow."

Riku nodded in approval. "Good. I was hoping I wouldn't hear something along the lines of you guys breaking up. _Especially_ after all the work I put into you guys."

"I never really thanked you for that, did I?" I flashed a grin.

"Which one out of the hundreds of times I helped you out?" Riku smiled back. "But in all seriousness, I'm glad for you guys. It's probably gonna be really bad when you leave."

"I try not to think about it." I nodded, knowing he was right. "Will you take care of her when I'm gone?"

Riku looked at me in shock. "Is that a serious question?" I nodded. "Tch. Hell no. That's your job now."

"Aww, c'mon Riku!" I begged.

"Sora, what's gonna happen to her? You know that I can't fill in for you. It won't be the same for her."

"I'm not telling you to date her while I'm gone! I'm just asking you to watch out for her."

"Kairi is more than capable of taking care of herself, Sora. She's a big girl." I tried to think of a way to rephrase what I was trying to say, but Riku beat me to it. "What's this really about?"

I sighed. "I just… I just don't want her to leave me. What if this long distance thing doesn't work out and she'll want to break it off? I don't mean to sound so selfish, but I don't want to let her go." I sat with my legs crossed, propping myself up with my arms. "I've never been this happy before."

"Let me get this straight: you think Kairi might _leave_ you?" Riku asked skeptically. I nodded meekly. "Jeez, Sora. You are so insecure."

"You can't blame me!" I defended myself. "She's really pretty. She can have any guy she wanted. I'm just kind of here."

"Okay, now it just sounds like you're trying to lead me into saying you've got a hot body and all that stuff." Riku idly wiped some sand off his arm. "You forget that she chose you over every guy she's met so far."

"Yeah, but—"

"Seriously, Sora. Why are you dancing around the question?" Riku interrupted. "You're not concerned about her leaving you. Out with it already!"

I gulped, feeling pressured under Riku's stare. "Fine. I'm in love with her. There. I said it. I love Kairi." When Riku did nothing but stare, I groaned. "Great. Too early, isn't it? It is. Oh gosh. I can't tell her. I'll scare her away. Oh my gosh. We've dated for like two and a half months and it's way too early and—"

"Dude," Riku held a hand up, "shut the hell up. Okay?" I nodded fervently. "Good."

A heavy silence sat between us as I stared at the sand. I felt extremely embarrassed.

"Riku?"

"Have you told her?" his gaze shifted from her to me.

"Never seriously. Only in obviously joking scenarios. Like when we play video games together or when she makes me sandwiches."

"She makes you sandwiches?" Riku asked, surprised.

I nodded, looking left and right. "Um, yes…" It's really one of the few meals she can put together effectively.

"Whoa. Neat." I felt like Riku totally missed the point, but he came back. "So do you plan on telling her before you leave?"

I finished my water, sealing the bottle and pushing it into the sand. "I was kind of planning on telling her after I left… just in case she didn't say it back."

"I see." Riku didn't seem to react. "Good lord, Sora. You are so _dumb._ That it probably one of the worst, shittiest, most awful, unbelievably cowardly, catastrophically _terrible_ ideas I've ever heard."

Ouch. I tried to explain my reasons. "Well, I thought about it, and…"

"Man up a little and tell it to her face!" Riku gave me a hard pat on the back, making me involuntarily lurch forward and sit straighter. "Why in the world would you even consider that? "

"What if she doesn't say it back and things get awkward?" I almost yelled. "Riku, I don't want to ruin what we have! You don't understand how happy I am with her! Do you think I want to throw that all away? I don't want to make her run off!"

"Then tell her how you feel!"

"What if she doesn't feel the same way? How will that fix anything?"

"Because it gives her another reason to stay with you, you freaking idiot!" Riku yelled back. Our conversation had apparently heightened in volume. I groaned in frustration, falling onto my back and covering my face with my hands. "So what if she doesn't say she loves you back now? Don't you think that it's possible she'll come around to it? If anything, she'll find it adorable. I can't think of a single reason why not to tell her in person!"

"Riku, think of it this way: if I tell her after I leave and she doesn't say anything back, we avoid all the awkwardness and I might be able to salvage it. If she does, then we're just both happy. If I tell her in person and she doesn't feel the same way, how uncomfortable will it be when I leave? Extremely. If she does have the same feelings, then I feel bad about it because I leave her just after telling her." I slammed a hand into the sand, frustrated with the thought.

"Sora, if you're going to tell someone you're in love with them, you tell them in person. You don't hide behind a web cam or a text message or a phone call. You look them in the eye— while they are physically in front of you— and you say it. Do you think it's supposed to be painless? It's a leap, just like everything else in life. You _have_ to make yourself vulnerable to let someone in. When you admit to someone that you love them, you're going all in. But you wanna know why it's worth it? Because there's a possibility that she'll say it too. Wouldn't you bet on the chance of hearing the girl you love tell you— to your face— that she loves you?"

"It'd make me just as happy hearing over a video call!" I shot back. I thought about this already. Why did he have to go about shooting my idea down?

Riku seemed to be at a loss. Just when I thought he would finally relent, he pulled the ace. "Fine. It's great that you're okay either way… but what about Kairi? Don't you think she deserves better?" He finally got me. I guiltily stared down at the sand. "I haven't met a single girl who dreamed of a love confession via text, phone call, or over a computer. Heh… if anything, I think they dream about the kind of confession Naminé got. Sans the groin kicking, of course."

I chuckled at the memory. Of course, Riku was right. And as scared as I was to do it, Kairi did deserve to hear from me in person. "Great. Why couldn't this be sometime later in our relationship?"

"Oh please. You'd be the same way four months, six months, or a year into dating her. Scared shitless." Riku huffed as he crossed his arms. "She deserves a personal confession. It doesn't have to be epic. It just has to be before you leave and – this is a given, but with you I feel like I have to explain everything— it has to come from you."

I sat up again, finding Kairi sitting under an umbrella with the other girls. "She's not gonna say anything back."

Riku stood up, brushing his hands together to get rid of the sand. "You don't know that."

"I think I like her more than she likes me." I confessed the insecurity.

Riku held out a hand to help me up. "All the better when you hear that she loves you just as much. In person, too."

"Right," I nodded with a grin, taking his hand and hauling myself up. "All of it in person."

* * *

Time slipped by much more quickly than I thought. I folded a beach umbrella as I helped pack up our stuff. The sun was hanging much lower in the sky now: it would probably set in an hour or so. The waves still abided to a rhythmic crashing, washing up the shore before retreating back again. I took the time to take a final look. I wouldn't be seeing this place for a while.

"Sora!" I turned upon hearing my name, spotting Roxas running toward me. "You need any help?"

"Uh, could you grab those towels? I don't know who they belong to." I motioned to the pile sitting in the sand. "Other than that, I'm all done here." We made our way up to the parking lot where everyone was at.

"So are you ready to go back home?" Roxas asked to make conversation.

"I don't know. I miss my room, but this summer has been a blast. I wouldn't mind if summer lasted a couple more months."

Roxas smiled knowingly. "Jeez, this is depressing. We've had such an awesome summer, and in a week or two we're back in school again. It seemed to fly by so quickly."

"Don't remind me." I managed to mutter before someone nearly tackled me.

"Sora! You're really leaving in a couple days?" Rikku whined as I tried to steady myself. "You have to come back next break!"

"She's right!" Tidus casually untangled Rikku from me. "Otherwise we'll just have to keep in touch online."

"Did someone mention playing online?" Hayner closed the trunk of his car and immediately turned to us. "I hope this conversation isn't happening without me."

"We'll definitely keep in touch. And yes, Hayner, we're gonna have to play a couple games later this month."

"That's what I like to hear!" the blond stuck his hand out. "To a school year of neglecting school work and online clan wars!"

I shook his hand with a laugh. I quickly found myself bidding everyone farewell. It was funny; everyone had something different to say and ways of expressing it. I couldn't believe I met so many people. Never before had I made so many friends at one time.

As I watched them drive off one by one, I promised myself that I'd see each of them again, whether it'd be the next break or next summer. Destiny Islands became a second home to me thanks to them.

I looked around at everyone left. Kairi talked animatedly with Riku and Naminé while Roxas was quickly trying to finish a water bottle. Before I started walking to them, a red car quickly put itself between us.

"Roxas! Are we late for the party?" a familiar voice called as the window rolled down.

"Just a little, Axel. Everyone left right before you came by. Look, there's Sora." Roxas pointed to the other side of the car. I waved awkwardly as Demyx rolled down the passenger's side window.

"Sora! Sorry we were late to your party!" Demyx apologized with a smile. I dismissed it, running up to the car to greet them. "Did you at least have fun?"

"I did, thank you for asking." Axel merely smirked in the driver's seat. "Axel."

"Sora! Good to see you. How are things with Kairi? You don't need to thank me." He winked.

"Axel, about that…"

Axel held up a hand. "Sora. Say no more. Demyx, glove compartment." As if rehearsed, Demyx opened the glove compartment, pulled out what looked like a goodie-bag you receive at the end of a birthday party, and held it out to me.

"Um, what…?" I looked at it confusedly. "It's not my birthday?"

"Dude, just take however many you need!" Axel offered. I looked at the contents and rolled my eyes.

"Seriously Axel? This is not the direction I was going with this." Axel sighed, parking his car. I wanted to tell him that he was parked right in the middle of the lot, but no one seemed to be passing by. I chose to ignore it.

"Sora, there is nothing to be ashamed of as long as you're being safe and healthy. How old are you?" he asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Seven—"

"Seventeen. You know what that age is? That's the average age in which people engage in sexual intercourse for the first time. Nearly eight out of ten people have had sex before they turn twenty. It's okay, Sora. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Just take whatever you need and—"

I had to stop him. "Axel, Kairi and I aren't like that at all. We won't be having sex any time soon. I guarantee it."

"Guarantee what?" I stiffened as Kairi approached the car. "What's in the bag?"

"Some latex safety nets. Want some?" Axel vocally made the offer as Demyx, like a perfect assistant, held out the bag again.

"Uh, no thanks. We're not there yet." Kairi seemed a bit flustered. "But rest assured, when we do get there, it will be safe."

"Right. See? You've heard it from both of us. Thanks for offering though." I added.

"Suit yourself. Hey Kairi, can you get Xion over here for me? Roxas said to invite her to come to dinner with us."

"Uh, sure. I'll just send her over." Kairi looked at me before running off.

I turned my attention to the two guys in the car. "I'm curious. Why do you have a bag of condoms in your car, and why does it sound like you've memorized these facts from the internet?"

Axel shrugged. "I'm merely an aspiring sexologist. If you want to get there, you start small with some basics. Encouraging safer sex and especially healthy behavior is just the beginning. It's not just a career, it's a calling!" Axel added a raised fist for dramatic effect. "Plus, I like knowing all these facts. It's an interesting thing to talk about."

"It really is. I know things I never wanted to know!" Demyx added as he put the bag away.

I scratched my head in confusion. "I didn't even know that was a real job…"

Before I could continue the conversation with the two latecomers, Xion finally arrived. I was immediately placed off to the side and stood awkwardly as I listened to their conversation.

"Sorry guys, but Riku and I are going to dinner and a movie tonight. Can't we do this tomorrow night?" Xion straightened up, placing her hands on her hips.

"But we only have a couple days left before me and Axel go off to college again!" Demyx whined. Axel, on the other hand, seemed amused.

"I guess we'll go without you then. Whatever, I'm sure Naminé is more useful for trivia night anyway." Axel said with a grin.

"You're going about it all wrong!" Xion laughed as she walked away. "When you want someone to go with you, don't insult their intelligence!"

"Psh, women." Axel rolled his eyes as Demyx sighed.

"I'm sure Riku will take care of her." I spoke up in an attempt to erase the mood. "And uh, I can go to trivia night with you guys. I don't know how useful I'll be, but I guess I can tag along. The last thing I want to do is pack, so…"

Demyx's eyes lit up and Axel's interest had definitely been piqued. "Are you serious? You should definitely come!" the blond exclaimed. "Get in the car!"

I took a step back from the car. "Um, no thanks. I can drive myself. I have a car here, so it'd actually be more convenient for me if…"

"Yeah, yeah. Here." Axel passed me an old receipt. "This is the name and address of the restaurant. We probably have a little over an hour before it starts, but we like to get there early to guarantee a table. I'm sure if you show your girlfriend the name, she'll know exactly where it is. Otherwise, just follow Roxas." Axel shifted his car into drive, rolling his shoulders as he made himself comfortable. "Good. Now we have a good amount of people. Demyx and I are going to hit the bar, so we'll be there when you get there. That good?"

I nodded, pulling my car keys out of my pocket. "Sure. See you there."

Axel sped off as soon as I walked away. I looked at the receipt in my hand, grinning at the thought of my new plan for the night. I found Roxas, Naminé, and Kairi standing around our cars.

"You were there for a while. Say your good-byes?" Kairi pushed herself off the car, wiping her hands on the towel that hung around her neck.

"Actually…" I held up the receipt, "I was wondering if you were interested in trivia tonight." For some reason, Roxas found that funny and laughed.

"Well, what a coincidence!" Kairi grinned excitedly. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. These two said we should help them out." She motioned to the blond couple.

"Jeez, and you guys call us disgusting? At least we're not all coordinated and synchronized like you two are." Roxas snickered.

"Coincidence, I'm sure." Naminé said with a giggle. I guess Roxas finally turned her against us.

"Awesome. So let's head home, shower, and then head over to wherever we have to go." Kairi ordered.

"Affirmative, ma'am!" Roxas saluted as he held the door open for Naminé. Oh please! _We_ are the disgusting ones? He was so beyond whipped! "See you guys in an hour then."

I got into the car (without opening Kairi's door; she's a big girl) and quickly rolled the top down. Kairi stretched in her seat, holding her hand out to me.

"It's the name of the restaurant and the address just in case we need it." I handed the receipt to her.

"We won't." She took it from me to crush it up. "Let's just head home so we can shower."

I quickly sent her a suggestive glance. "You know, we could save time and water by sharing showers…"

"No."

I laughed, knowing that would be the answer. "Well then maybe after our showers, we'll have extra time to…"

"Do you really think that's gonna fly? I haven't forgotten what I said, Sora." Kairi tilted her head, daring me to ask again.

"It was worth a try."

* * *

We actually won trivia.

No really. We got first place out of all the groups there. I didn't think we would have a chance, but I seriously underestimated Roxas's friends. I mean, no offense, but I never took them as the kind of people to know stupid and useless information. Axel and Demyx did not come off as intelligent people when I met them. But we got first place: free dessert and a gift card for the next visit.

Axel volunteered himself to hold onto the precious gift card. We, of course, showered him with our sarcastic thanks. That was probably the last time Kairi and I would go with them anyway, and Roxas and Naminé most likely didn't care.

"I must say, I am glad you guys tagged along. We couldn't have done it without you!" Axel tucked the prize into his wallet with a few light taps.

"I'm pretty sure you and Demyx would have been sufficient if we never showed up." I grinned, folding my hands behind my head. "Kairi and I pretty much sat there and listened."

"Nah, we need people to listen to our internal debates. If it was just Axel and I, that would have been bad." Demyx said as he got into Axel's car.

"Yeah. That's why we always have a group. Shame that you're leaving. You won't be around for next time." Axel stuck his hand out in front of him. I took it and shook it in farewell. "Listen up, Sora. It's been fun with you around, so we'll definitely have to hang out some time in the future."

"Yeah!" Demyx interjected as he buckled his seatbelt. "Even though Xion didn't show up this time, I'm really glad you and Kairi tagged along. You should consider coming to Destiny Islands if you're still looking for a good university!"

"Maybe I will. I'll let you know next summer." I said with a nod. With a final wave, Demyx and Axel drove off. I sighed with a rueful smile, knowing that'd be the last time I'd see them in a while. I turned on my heels and walked to where Kairi was waiting.

"So are we staying at Roxas's place tonight?" Kairi asked as she crossed her arms.

"I don't see why not. I'll just be spending the day tomorrow cleaning and packing." I unlocked the car, holding the door open for her.

"I'll help you with that if you stay tonight." Kairi offered.

I stared at her, raising a brow for emphasis. "Do you really think I'm passing this up?"

* * *

The smell of cookies wafted through the house as I sat impatiently on the floor. Kairi seemed unbothered as she flipped through the channels, not satisfied with anything. I fidgeted in my place again.

"Could you stop fidgeting? I'm annoyed right now, and you're just being more annoying by doing that. Just get up if you're uncomfortable." Kairi snapped. I almost laughed at her. Instead, I threw myself on top of her and forced her to roll on the floor with me.

"Little Miss Grumpy Pants is being mean!" I shouted as I dragged her along with me. Despite her yells for me to stop immediately, she was still laughing. And I didn't stop; she sure as hell wasn't laughing when she was flipping through channels just a second ago.

"Sora! Quit it!"

"Not until you give me my Kairi back!" I felt a rush of air escape me as Kairi managed to stop us from rolling: she ended up wedging herself on top, holding me down by the shoulders. "Are you Kairi?" I asked her innocently.

"What the hell compelled you to think 'oh, I feel like rolling on the floor with Kairi right now?' Are you insane?"

I looked off to the side, sighing. "Nope. Not Kairi. Still grumpy."

"And here I thought _you_ guys would walk in on Naminé and me when _we_ were doing something kinky." Roxas crossed him arms, seeming to ignore Naminé's mortified expression. "But this takes the cake. Come on Naminé, we have to one-up them now. Get the extra cookie dough because we're going _all out!_"

"Roxas!" Naminé scolded her boyfriend, who shrunk back like a neglected child. "What is wrong with the men in this house?"

Kairi, still straddling me, inserted an "I know, right?" into the conversation.

"I just want to know why all the women are so grumpy…" I said from my place on the floor. Roxas looked at me and nodded.

"You and me both." He tried to carefully shuffle by Naminé, but she grabbed his arm. He didn't dare move.

"I think that both of you need to calm down. If you arranged some stupid contest on who could get laid tonight, you better call it off now." Naminé warned.

My eyes met Roxas's in the silence. This would require teamwork. "Uh, actually, there was never such a thing…"

"But it sounds like a wonderful idea." Roxas finished.

_Wow_. That was _not _where I wanted him to take that. Thank you, Roxas, for damning us both into oblivion.

Naminé had just about had it: the only way I knew that was because she didn't really react. "Roxas, that's enough. I've had it with you. I'm not making eye contact or speaking with you for two minutes."

I blinked. Was she serious?

Roxas, on the other hand, seemed to find it worse than babies in a blender. "What? What did I do? C'mon, Naminé! I—" he followed her helplessly into the kitchen. "Please!"

This time, I looked at Kairi (who was still sitting on top of me) and shrugged. "I'd like to let you know that whatever Naminé just pulled on Roxas won't work on me. I'd spend the next two minutes staring at you and planning out multiple ways I can make a sexual advance as soon as those two minutes are up."

"I don't doubt you." Kairi muttered as she got off me. I took her offered hand and stood up with her. "Besides, you're already being punished. I don't think two minutes of ignoring you would turn you into a nervous wreck like it did Roxas. You simply don't like me as much as he likes her." She finished nonchalantly.

"Aww, that's not true!" I stumbled after her, falling onto the couch beside her. "I bet I like you more than he likes her."

"Do you now?" she smiled at me, entertained by my childish claim. "You know, it's funny sometimes. When I think about you leaving, I always think about going with you. And sometimes I imagine us running away together. Just running off on our own, seeing where that would take us. And I know it's completely ridiculous— I mean, we've only dated for such a short time— but it's the kind of insane, spontaneous idea that you never put away."

I observed Kairi as she explained her fantasy, watching her get lost in her thoughts and imagination. "I know exactly what you mean. Where would we end up if we got up and ran right now? Where would we be in a couple days, months, years?"

"Yeah… and I also wonder if you'd still be by my side. Would you run away with me? We could run away and you won't have to leave me unless you wanted." Kairi said wistfully.

"You know I'd never leave you. I won't. Ever." I took her hand in mine and rested my head next to hers.

"I wonder if you'll be making the same declarations two months from now."

"Kairi, I'll be making the same declarations a year from now." I said with confidence. "I found something that makes me happier than anyone on the planet and I'm not about to consider letting it go… unless, of course, that something finds someone else who makes her happier."

Kairi leaned in to kiss me, which I happily received. "You better not have said any of that just to lift your ban."

I laughed, cradling her face in my hands. "In all seriousness… I meant every word."

When I thought she was going to kiss me again, she abruptly stood up and stretched. "Let's go see what they're up to in that kitchen. I bet the cookies are almost done, and I highly doubt they're in there to watch them bake."

Without a word, she walked off, expecting me to follow. I did. We entered the kitchen just as Naminé was pulling out the first tray. Roxas sat at the island table, quickly swiping at his eyes.

Oh my gosh. Was he seriously crying because Naminé ignored him for _two whole minutes_?

"Whoa, what's with him?" Kairi bluntly pointed out her tennis companion.

"I don't know. I'm ignoring him for the next…" Naminé glanced at the time, "seven minutes."

You know, for some reason the higher degree of punishment still does not justify why Roxas should cry. This was just sad.

"I thought it was two?" I sat at the table, making sure not to make eye contact with Roxas. He buried his face in his arms and put his head down in shame.

"He wouldn't stop bothering me, so when the two minutes were up, I told him ten more." Naminé seemed completely unaffected by all of this. Kairi, on the other hand, looked impressed.

"How do you do it?" she asked in awe.

"Practice." Was Naminé's simple answer. Kairi looked at me right after and stuck her tongue out at me.

Oh? Challenge accepted. I've been winning so far; she's been the one struggling all day. Face it, when it comes to disciplining someone, Kairi fails hard.

"I'm actually in the process of denying Sora any signs of affection. I slipped up a while ago, but you've seriously inspired me." Kairi said happily as she stood next to her best friend.

Naminé giggled. "Oh please. He's leaving in like… 36 hours or something. And then he'll be gone for…"

"Probably a month or two." I answered for her. I was planning to visit on the next possible break already.

"Yeah, you're not gonna last. Me? Where the hell do you think that thing is going?" Naminé was referring to the moping blond mess at the table. "He's not going anywhere. I've got him wrapped around my finger."

This new side to Naminé was so intense and… _awesome_! Sure, Roxas was downright pitiful at the moment, but Naminé seemed more confident and seemed to exercise more authority than ever. I was so used to seeing Roxas's comments slide right by in public, but it was a completely different story when they were alone. I couldn't help but grin at Kairi.

"Oh please. You make it sound like you have all the power in the relationship." Kairi laughed as she took a cooled cookie from the tray. Naminé stared at Kairi, deadpan in expression. Kairi stared back for a while before sighing. "Man, I have to reevaluate my relationship."

"Hey!" I protested loudly. "Sharing the power is healthy for a relationship! My opinion matters too!"

"Yeah, but your opinion is always wrong." Kairi sauntered over and stuffed a cookie in my mouth. "And you have nothing to worry about. I would probably go into depression if I made you cry like Roxas!"

"I'm not crying!" Roxas's voice cracked as he entered the conversation. "There's something in my eyes…"

Kairi rolled her eyes. I was too busy relishing the chocolate chip cookie in my mouth. It was rather delightful. My girlfriend walked over to Naminé again just as she placed the second tray in the oven. "How long until the dust in Roxas's eyes simultaneously disappear?"

Naminé smirked at the little jab. "Three minutes now and counting. Could you get the milk out and pour me a glass? I'm going to change really quickly." The blonde quickly washed her hands and was out of the kitchen in a flash. I got up to get another cookie as Kairi complied with Naminé's request.

"So Roxas, what's bugging you?" Kairi asked as she poured out three glasses of milk.

"Nothing." He replied curtly. I almost snorted. What a drama queen.

"Is little baby sad that Naminé isn't responding to him?" Kairi dared to poke at Roxas's hair. He didn't retaliate.

"She hates me and she thinks I don't respect her." He whined.

"Roxas, I'm sure you're still in good standing with her. Just apologize for whatever you did or didn't do. That's what I—oops!" I jokingly added at the end.

Kairi mouthed the words 'I dare you.' I sent her a toothy smile. I'm so cute.

"I am not tired at all! Getting back to a normal sleep schedule before school is hard…" Naminé announced her return. I smirked at her attire: short shorts and one of Roxas's shirts. Of course.

"You guys have a couple more days than me, at least. I still have a time zone shift to deal with." I popped my fourth cookie into my mouth. Wow, these were wonderful.

"Indeed." Naminé agreed as she took a glass of milk. She walked over to Roxas and put her hand on his back. "Roxas, won't you try the cookies?" She was immediately enveloped in a hug as Roxas began muttering something to her. "That's great… and I guess apology accepted, but this is what I'm talking about. We have guests."

"Oh." Roxas pulled back sheepishly. "Sorry."

Kairi and I just watched the scene unfold. "It's okay." Naminé patted Roxas's cheek before holding a cookie up to his mouth. "Try it."

I wanted to run to the sink and throw up. The cuteness was overwhelming and disgusting.

"You baked them perfectly." Roxas complimented with his mouth full of cookies.

"Only the best for you, love." Naminé giggled as she kissed his forehead.

Oh gosh. Kill me now. These two are going to be the reason why Kairi and I end up splitting. How are we supposed to compete with that?

And yes, it _is_ a competition.

"You two are so freaking… ugh!" Kairi squealed elatedly. "I don't even know. Get married already."

* * *

Eventually, all of us were dressed for sleep. Kairi opted to wear a tank top with her shorts (needless to say I was more than happy with this) and I threw on the most comfortable shirt and shorts I packed. We were all in Roxas's living room playing the same video game.

Kairi was awful.

"I told you, make me play any other video game and I'm useless! Even Naminé can beat me!" Kairi pouted as she lost her last life to Roxas's character. I struggled against the team that the blond power couple was pitting against me.

"If it makes you feel any better, she can probably beat me too." I muttered when I finally lost. That was the fourth game in a row that Kairi and I lost. Maybe couple's team games were not the way to go. "Shouldn't we do boys versus girls or something? The teams will be more fair."

"Sora, how would that be fair? I'm obviously the best one here," We all rolled our eyes, "and you and Naminé are about the same. Kairi's about as useful as a slug. We would crush them."

"Well why don't I team up with you?" Kairi asked her practice partner. "That way it balances out. You know, since you're so much better than us at this game. My uselessness might balance it out!"

"That sounds like a good idea. We're up for it, right Sora?" Naminé held her hand up for a high five.

"You bet!" I responded enthusiastically. I would finally be getting off Kairi's team…

I mean, the games would be more fun now that the teams were even!

The game was definitely tilted in our favor. One, Roxas wasn't that much better than Naminé and I. Two, Kairi took it upon herself to do the work for us and repeatedly ran off the stage to her doom (this, of course, was all unintentional. She cited her reason for failure as "I thought I was that guy!")

After losing repeatedly, Roxas finally decided that we should just rotate teams. It eventually turned into a "please save me from teaming with Kairi" kind of night, but it made it all the more fun. Kairi was more than a good sport about it. She took the jokes in stride, even contributing to the madness.

As the hours wore on, Naminé and Roxas eventually grew tired and retired to his room. My girlfriend and I were just as awake as we were three hours ago at midnight. Hence we played a couple games together and eventually resorted to making hot chocolate.

Kairi waited patiently as I prepared the drinks, occasionally joking about how she'd have withdrawals when I left. When I finished, I slid her mug across the table, right into her hands. The result was a skewed smiley face that was more akin to sea foam.

"Sora, my hot chocolate is deformed. I demand you take it back to the kitchen and fix it. Also, it's not warm enough." Kairi criticized mockingly after her first sip.

"My goodness I've spoiled you." I said in the most bombastic tone I could muster. Kairi giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I'm going to miss this." Kairi said wistfully as she stared at her hot chocolate. I continued to grin, leaning forward onto the table.

"Hey, don't look so down! I'll be here to visit as often as possible." I reached over and took Kairi's hand. "It won't be that bad. We'll talk every day. I'll even apply for early admission to a few colleges so that when I get in, I can neglect my schoolwork!"

Kairi gave me a warning glance, which I laughed off. "I know we'll have all that… but it won't be the same. We've been together every _single_ day of this summer vacation for at least six hours a day. It got to the point where you went to conditioning with me in the morning. Now… now I just have to get used to not having you around in a matter of a couple days?" Kairi took a long sip of her hot chocolate, setting it down with a shaky hand.

I completely understood where she was coming from. All throughout the summer I woke up with the assumption that I'd spend at least half the day in my girlfriend's presence. I just went about my day knowing that I'd have her there; that I could turn to my side and grab hold of her hand. It _would_ be different without her.

"Kairi, we'll be okay. You still want to try this, right?" I looked at her in concern.

She quickly met my eyes. "Definitely! Of course I do! Don't doubt that for a second, Sora. I really do want to try to make this work…" Kairi's grip on my hand tightened. "I just wish you didn't have to go. Sometimes I wish I could go with you."

I tried my best to give her a smile and remain optimistic. "Maybe we'll end up at the same university, like Roxas and Naminé. I mean, it's not as much as a guarantee as them, but we can try."

"Why don't we try to focus on the fact that I want you here now?" Kairi asked with a wry smile. "I'm sure I'll be sick of you in about a year from now."

"Well then we're talking about something that's almost impossible." I stated bluntly. "Kairi, we'll get through this— these next couple months— and then we'll see each other every break possible. I'll make sure of it."

We finished our hot chocolate in relative silence, not wanting to bring the topic of separation up yet again. Seeing as how we would probably be waking up in six or so hours, we decided it was time to sleep. Kairi silently pushed the door open to Roxas's room, careful not to disturb the sleeping couple. As expected, they looked like a tangled mess of limbs. Kairi had prepared our spot on the floor much earlier.

We settled ourselves in the darkness, staying as silent as possible. I pulled Kairi close to me, lying on my side. She snuggled right next to me, taking in a deep breath.

"After tonight, I can officially say I've slept with you." I whispered in her ear. I felt her shake in restrained laughter.

"Tout that all you want, because this is as close as you'll ever get." She whispered back. I squeezed her, taking in the wonderful smell of cherries.

"Good night, Kairi."

"Good night, Sora."

I lay there in the silence, listening for Kairi's breath to even out. I could hear Roxas and Naminé's light breathing in rhythm, occasionally hearing a shuffle.

I don't know how long I was lying there, but I couldn't fall asleep. I was surprised to hear that Kairi was still awake as well.

"Sora? You still awake?" Kairi asked quietly.

I nodded before realizing she couldn't see. "Yeah. I am."

"I don't think I'm going to fall asleep like this." She squeezed my hand, hoping it didn't offend me.

To be honest, I couldn't sleep like that either. I have no idea how Roxas and Naminé did it, but this was _not_ comfortable.

"I can't fall asleep if I'm on my side, so…" I released Kairi. "Thanks."

"Be my guest." I told her quietly. She put some distance in between us and lay on her back. "Better?"

"Much… sorry about that. It wasn't working."

I chuckled. "Look at me, Kairi. I'm still awake. I'm a hell of a lot more comfortable now." I folded my hands behind my head and stared at the ceiling.

"Those two are something else." I said with a sigh. "Good night. For real the time."

Kairi leaned over to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good night. If you wake up before me, wake me up too. I'm not about to spend the last few hours with you asleep."

"I will." I promised her before closing my eyes. I was going to make the most out of these hours for the both of us.

* * *

**RE:** THANK YOU TONS to anyone who recently added me or M&M to their alert or favorites list. I can't possibly post this chapter without thanking a number of people who I remind myself that I have to write for every single day. Thanks to **Hearts in the Twilight, an1995616, sunflowerb, Krystal Lily Potter, ShadowSpooky, zestycrouton, dearlybelovedangel, AllLightHasDarkness, hideki411, chibixbabe, gr8azngrl, Kingdom Hearts Otaku, xXPrincessMXx, DestinyKeyblader28, 122Boy, Tyjet Ansatsu, black-dax, SillySally, KH FF FTW acronyms, Morgead'sgirl, Electron Beam, Spellbound a.k.a soragirl4ever, xTwichii, KHgatomon3444, Kingdommad,Shire Folk, TinaalovesMints, SecretAgent99, young gun kid, ChocoIsu, mattjesse, Eri21, Sgt. Reynol, Silver-09, LoveLife45, and ZankouHoshizora.**

Until next time, take care and I'll see you around!


	20. Young Love

Chapter 20: Young Love

I looked around the room and released a heavy sigh. I already knew I would miss this room. It was seriously the greatest thing to ever happen to me.

There's Kairi too, but… meh.

Kidding. But in all seriousness, I couldn't have asked for a better room to accommodate my stay here at Destiny Islands. Tifa and Cloud were ridiculously generous in allowing me to stay here.

I'd miss them too.

I walked around the basement one final time, stopping to admire the entertainment system and dropping onto a bean bag before leaving. I knew I would be happy returning to my own room again; but if I were to factor out homeliness, the basement wins hands down.

"Sora?" I heard Tifa call as she came down the stairs. "Are you ready to go?"

I stood, patting my pockets to make sure I had everything. "Uh, yeah. Everything's cleaned, packed, and ready. Oh!" I watched as Tifa effortlessly lifted my suitcase. "I can handle that!"

"Sora, it's fine. Just be sure to... well, you know what to do. Kairi should be here in ten minutes." She smiled solemnly before making heading upstairs again.

I sighed, picking up a drawstring backpack I'd be carrying on the plane. With a final look around, I walked up the stairs, turning the light off on the way.

* * *

Kairi smiled sadly as I placed my suitcase in the trunk of her car. Tifa stood still, her hand curled around her chin in thought. None of us spoke when I closed the trunk and looked to them.

"I guess this is good-bye for now." I shrugged. My aunt laughed as she embraced me in a warm hug.

"You know you're welcome here. Always." She gave me one last squeeze before releasing me. "Have a safe trip. And tell your mother to take it easy, all right?"

"Yes ma'am!" I saluted. I turned to Kairi, who was waiting on the driver's side of the car. "Shall we go?"

She nodded, wordlessly getting into the car. I followed suit, waving as Tifa walked back inside. Then, the Strife estate disappeared as we turned, beginning the drive to the airport.

Neither Kairi nor I spoke as the road curled and turned. I stared out my window all the while, taking in the sight of the coast and light reflecting off the ocean. The trees that lined the mountain road cast a picture-perfect ambience worthy of a movie scene. In between the shadows of their leaves, the buildings of the island grew larger and larger in the light until we were finally taken in. I turned to look at Kairi: her lips were pursed in thought, and her eyes were hidden behind large sunglasses. A grin spread across my face as I looked around the car.

It wasn't until I opened the glove compartment that Kairi spoke up. "Um, what are you doing?" she asked quizzically. I brow arched over the rim of her sunglasses.

I closed the glove compartment, turning to her with a smile. "Is my pair still here?"

"What are you…" My smile grew wider as she realized what I was talking about. Kairi giggled. "Oh I see. They're right…" she reached down into the small pocket of her door, "here they are."

I took the white sunglasses out her hands, laughing as I slipped them on again. Sure brought back memories… "How do I look?"

Kairi took a glance before turning back to the road with a laugh. "Like a bona fide douchebag."

"Hey!" Kairi again found immense entertainment as I crossed my arms. Fine. We can both play like that. "So typical for a pretty girl to fall for a douche bag. _Your_ kind belongs to that group of girls who later complain that all guys are assholes."

"That's not true!" Kairi said defensively. A glint in her eye already told me she had a response prepared. "For your information, I fell for a nice, cute, wonderful boy…" I grinned at the compliment, "who could easily be mistaken for my gay best friend. He _is_ rather effeminate, after all."

I shook my head, unable to quell the grin on my face. "You always seem to be one step ahead of me when it comes to a battle of wit."

"I admit, you challenge me." Kairi smiled easily. "It's rather attractive too."

I nodded, clearing my throat and assuming a deeper, pompous voice. "Yes, many women do fancy my intellectual brilliance."

"Oh?" Kairi giggled as she tucked her hair back. "Who exactly are these women?"

I took off my glasses (they were, after all, destroying the character I was assuming), cleaning them on my shirt. "I don't pay them enough attention to know them by name. Well… except one. There is this rather… stunning woman that I can't seem to resist. Sometimes I feel like she's immune to my obviously charming personality. Therefore, I've made it my life goal to sweep her off her feet."

"I can't possibly think of anyone who could resist that boyish charm of yours." Kairi said with a dreamy sigh. "Moms all over the world would love to date you."

I sat back in my seat, chuckling to myself. "Miss Kairi, you are quite hard to please. I must admit, however, that I would prefer that we pull over or take the next exit so I could show you another side to just how _boyishly charming_ I can be."

Kairi lowered her sunglasses, eying me skeptically. "While I would like to take up that offer, I have been charged with a duty that I must fulfill. Despite how much I'd rather not do this, I know I must."

I stared at her, disheartened to see that she was reminded I was leaving. The fact that this wasn't just another car ride quickly dampened the mood again. "I guess we shall continue our current task then."

Again, silence engulfed the car. Neither of us bothered to turn on the radio to fill the void. I guess we were content with sulking.

"Sora." Kairi spoke so softly I leaned a little closer. "Is it strange that I want to accidentally miss our exit and just drive off? We'd have no idea where we would go, but… I think it would still be nice. Just us and the road." The pretenses of elevated speech had been dropped, replaced by the more solemn proposal of fantasy. "Do you think about it at all?"

"All the time." I replied. "I think that's natural. And I also think it'd be fun seeing new places with you. What kind of situations would we find ourselves in? Maybe we'd grow sick of each other after driving for twelve hours straight."

"Maybe we would." Kairi nodded. "But the possibilities… there is just so much out there, you know? Where would we end up?"

"Where would you want to go?" I countered with a question of my own. I noted a road sign that indicated we were just twenty minutes away from the airport.

Kairi thought for a moment before answering. "Everything. All the major landmarks, like the Coliseum… the palace of Agrabah, for sure… even the ruins! Why don't we visit the rainforests and jungles while we're at it too? I think it would awesome to just see it all."

"Traveling around the world together… it does sound awesome, huh?" I imagined all the possible places Kairi and I could visit. "I myself have always wanted to see the plains of the Pride Lands. Oh, and we definitely would have to see the Beast's Castle!"

"Don't tell me… do you think that story is actually real?" Kairi looked at me skeptically. I was getting the vibe that she didn't believe any of the stories about it.

"Of course I do! There has to be some kind of truth behind it! There are way too many details for it to be a lie. I mean, who the hell tells people that the objects in the house were actually servants to the prince that lived there? And to such detail! And I've done some research on it—"

"You researched an urban legend for fun?" Kairi interrupted with a raised brow. I ignored the remark and continued.

"—and I found that whoever started disclosing the details of the castle told them accurately _before_ anyone verified them to be true. Whoever this person was knew exactly where each room was and every little secret passage in that castle!" I threw my hands up in emphasis, breathing a little hard with excitement. "There has to be some truth in there!"

"Sora, that's such bull. First of all, the story of the Beast was told to keep peasants out of the prince's castle. Second, what if it was a servant who disclosed those details? It could have easily been the case." Kairi explained haughtily. She was convinced she was right and would probably never think it more than a bedtime story.

"But then consider the story! All the servants were changed back to normal! Who in their right mind would— just for funsies— tell people 'oh, for a long time I was a candelabra and this child here was a teacup' with so much detail? Every servant was changed into an object. _And_ this is even supported historically! Why, all of a sudden, did the prince have a change of heart? You say the story of the Beast was a myth to keep peasants out, but why did the prince change so drastically? He went from seclusion to an open feast within a few months of meeting his future wife!" I was practically foaming at the mouth in my explanation.

"Sora, do you seriously expect me to believe any of that? I can make stuff up too and tell everyone that my mom was a dog and my father was a cat because I forgot to water my magical daisy." Kairi shrugged.

I narrowed my eyes, silently fuming. "He didn't have to _water_ the rose, Kairi. He had to learn to love and be loved before the rose died." I corrected her in the way so many of my teachers snidely corrected me.

Guess you learn something in school after all.

"Second point: what kind of psycho lady falls in love with a beast? A beast that takes her _hostage_? She is either insane or this was a case of Stockholm Syndrome." Kairi raised a hand off the wheel, waiting for an explanation. "The whole story is ridiculous, Sora. Sure, it'd be nice to see the castle, but all the stories that surround it? Pure tourist attraction."

"Well I guess you don't believe in love then!" I crossed my arms and pouted. "Even if you think it's just for attracting attention, I still want to see it. Oh, and the Elephant Graveyard of the Pride Lands, if I failed to mention that."

Kairi shook her head, rubbing her temples with her hand. "Oh no. Don't tell me you believe in that too."

"It exists, Kairi! Believe in the legend!" I screamed with exasperating conviction.

Kairi sighed to herself, mumbling under her breath. "Let me guess: you also believe in the Lost City."

I gaped at Kairi, looking around the car in shock. If there were people sitting in the car with us, they too would be gaping. Kairi was… Kairi didn't believe in fun! "Atlantis is or was real, Kairi! Atlantis! How could you not believe in mermaids? You're a girl!"

Kairi chuckled, looking at me like I was delusional. "Doesn't mean I have to believe in mermaids. I've never seen one. Have you?"

"That's not the point!" I screamed in frustration. It took all of my effort to restrain myself from ripping out my hair.

"Checkmate." Kairi smiled smugly as if she won the debate. Not that there was any because all of it exists.

"Wow, we are totally going to end up single before we get to the airport." I rubbed my eyes with a sigh. Kairi laughed, taking my hand in hers.

"Sora, I was just kidding around with you. I don't really believe that stuff, but the only reason I did that was because it got you so riled up."

"That was mean." I frowned childishly.

"Oh you're fine. We'll see all those places, Sora. Hell, we'll even look for Atlantis if you really want to." Kairi ceded with a smile.

I returned the smile with beaming eyes. "Really? There's a chance we'll be credited with the rediscovery of Atlantis!"

"Sounds nice. Just as long as we somehow end up in Hawaii at the end of it all." Kairi agreed.

I looked at her and asked curiously, "Is that your top place to visit?"

"Yup." She answered simply. "I heard it was nicer than Destiny Islands. They have volcanoes too, so I think it'd be cool to see those too."

I smiled widely, sitting back into my seat. "Well why don't we get started? Let's accidentally-on-purpose hop on a different flight to our first destination!"

"Where would we go first? There's a lot out there, you know."

I brought her held hand to my lips, pressing a kiss on her fingers. "Doesn't even matter. After all, we'll be happy, right?"

Kairi looked at me, surprised with the answer she received. A small smile formed on her face as she nodded slowly. "Yeah. We'd undoubtedly be happy."

* * *

I waited for Kairi as she stepped through the security gate, handing her the purse I had picked up for her.

"Thanks." She pulled it onto her shoulder, looking around. "Which way?"

"My gate is that way," I pointed to our left down the long hall of numbers, "but I want to go that way because I smell something."

"Hmm. For some reason, I know what you're talking about." Kairi fell into step beside me, taking my hand in her own. We walked down the terminal until we arrived at a particular restaurant. Kairi giggled, rolling her eyes as I looked at her eagerly. "Cinnamon rolls. How did I know?"

"How could you_ not_ want some?" I asked in disbelief.

"Come on. I'll pay for the little boy who wants his sugar dose." Kairi dragged me to the register, ordering a single roll. I took the box eagerly from the cashier, quickly picking one of the few tables in the tiny bakery. I had it open before Kairi was seated, taking in the wonderful smell of the spice.

"Oh… so good." I said without taking a bite. The smell alone was tantalizing. "I can't believe you didn't buy one for yourself."

"Why would I? We can share." As she reached out with a fork, I quickly formed a defensive barrier with my arms, hissing like a cat. "Wow. You're just a bit psychopathic. Why can't I have some? I paid for it."

"Why didn't you get your own?" I narrowed my eyes, watching her carefully. "Besides, I didn't ask you to pay for me. If you want, I'll go and— hey!" It was too late. Kairi had ripped off a significant chunk of cinnamon roll and ate it. "At least give me first bite!"

"You were taking too long. And you don't have anything to worry about. I won't even eat half of it." Kairi brushed her offense off like it was nothing.

I groaned. "Yeah right. This is like the pier festival all over again."

"Oh don't give me that! You ate at _least _three-fourths of that funnel cake!" Kairi shot back.

"How could I have, Kairi, when you ate _more than half?_" I leaned forward, meeting her challenge.

"You are exaggerating so much. I had like two bites!"

"Yeah. A third of the funnel cake each bite. Sounds about right."

"Oh don't give me that! If you wanted more, you could have bought more!" she argued back, trying to stab the cinnamon roll with a fork. "And you can say all you want about the funnel cake. I know the truth. And I know that I didn't eat that much."

I took a quick bite of the roll, staring Kairi down. "You know what? You can have this one. I'm going to buy my own so we don't have to argue about it."

I relented as she stabbed her fork into the snack. "All right, but I won't be able to finish this. Either I'll do something sacrilegious by throwing it away or you'll eat the rest for me."

I returned to the table with my own treat this time, noticing that half of Kairi's cinnamon roll had already been finished. A small part of me hoped that she wouldn't eat more of it, but I focused back on my own.

My own sweet cinnamon roll.

We sat there quietly, mostly because I couldn't talk with her anyway. Every once in a while, Kairi would note the time and comment on people passing by. We sat there long after I finished our food, enjoying each other's company as the minutes counted down. Kairi again noted the time: forty minutes until departure.

"Shall we get going?" I held my hand out as I got out of my seat. She took my hand, intertwining our fingers. We began our slow walk to my gate on the other side of the terminal.

"Yesterday went by too quickly." Kairi stated quietly as she leaned her head on my shoulder. "It seems like today did too. Where did the time go?"

"It decided to run out on us. It'll be back when we hit the classrooms again. Then it'll feel like time isn't passing at all."

"Sucks that it works like that. " Kairi said softly. We continued to walk, getting lost in the moving crowd. People all around passed hurriedly , some on their phones, some pulling their bags quickly behind them. Others walked by with smiles: it was easy to pick out the individuals who had arrived to find their loved ones waiting for them when they landed. Kairi and I stopped in our tracks as a little girl ran by in front of us. We watched her throw herself onto a man who had just exited his plane.

"I wish you were arriving instead of leaving." Kairi noted as we continued our walk. I wrapped my arm around her small waist, pulling her close.

"Kairi, we'll see each other again. It'll be four months at most, and most likely two. I'll visit on a three-day weekend if I have to." I ran my hand up and down her back, trying to soothe her.

"It will still feel like a really long time, Sora." Kairi wrapped her arm around my back, leaning more on me. "Tell me you'll be back in a week and it'll be too long."

"We'll get through it." I reassured, stopping as we arrived at my gate. "We have a couple minutes. Let's sit by the window." I led her to an empty row facing the row of planes. The sun shone brightly outside and the palms danced slowly in the breeze. Everything outside just seemed so… serene.

We fell into two adjacent chairs, far from everyone else. I stared outside for a while, squinting a little before adjusting fully to the light. I then turned to my left to look at Kairi; my heart sank.

A clear sorrow was in her eyes as she stared at the floor. I wanted to say something to cheer her up, but nothing came to mind. At this point, it seemed like I could tell her anything and she wouldn't smile. I draped my arm around her shoulders, hoping she would get the message. She melted into me, wrapping her arms around my body.

"If there was one thing you could change about this break," Kairi suddenly asked in a lowered voice, "what would it be?"

We stared out the window, watching as everyone outside busily worked in preparation for the next trip. The noise of the terminal seemed to fall behind us. We were alone in our own secret place, isolated from interruption. I took Kairi's hand in mine as I took in the scent of fresh cherries. I was going to miss these moments…

"Why don't you tell me what you would change first?" I rubbed the back of her with my thumb, waiting for her reply.

I felt her shake slightly as she giggled to herself. "I'm going to say it— I wish we didn't meet the way we did. I definitely would have fallen for you faster if you didn't piss me off on the first meeting." Kairi paused before adding, "Actually, you scared me before anything. I thought you were a rapist or something."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "That wasn't my fault! I thought you knew I was in the house, so I kind of just did whatever I wanted. And besides, you think I didn't notice you checking me out?"

"I did not!" Kairi suddenly pulled away to give me a disgusted look. I held her hands to keep her from inflicting pain on me.

"You totally did! I watched you eye rape me, Kairi. And who in their right mind takes the time to check out a guy when they're genuinely terrified?" I laughed as she reclaimed her hands and crossed her arms. Her face was a shade redder than it was a moment ago.

"You're totally making this up." She said stubbornly.

"I'm not. You know you did." I taunted her, leaning forward in my seat.

Kairi stood up, facing the window with her back towards me. "I must have been trying to find a place to hit you. In a situation like that, it's normal to act hysteric and crazy."

I stood, walking behind her and wrapping my arms around her. "Psh, yeah. Crazy for me that is." I pulled her tightly against me, making her laugh instead of shooting a witty retort. I'm sure she would have loved to tear me to shreds on how cheesy that was.

"You never answered, Sora." Kairi unwrapped my arms from her body and pulled me to stand next to her, "What would you have changed?"

I looked to the ceiling and rubbed my chin in thought. Kairi stared as she waited for an answer. What would I have done differently?

"For starters, I definitely would not have changed the way we met. You weren't the only one who found time to take in a beautiful sight." I teased as I stuck my tongue out at her. She gave me a playful shove, but smiled nonetheless. I took her hand and faced the window again. "I used to wish that some things had never happened, like the big fights we had and all those times I stupidly didn't tell you things… but when I think about it now, I don't think I'd change any of that."

"Why not?" Kairi asked with sincerity. "It's not like those were fun times for either of us."

"Because despite all those bad things and mistakes, we're better now. We're better because we worked through it, right?" I scratched my head as I tried to think of a better way of explaining it. "We're still together, despite a rocky start. We've learned a lot about each other in such a short amount of time, and I've never been so happy in my life."

Kairi smiled, squeezing my hand. "Yeah. Me too. It was a short, but… happy summer."

"Yeah." I agreed with a nod. "And you know what? We'll get through this distance too. I already know we can." I grinned in confidence. "If anything, the only thing I'm disappointed with is how I've been expressing how I truly felt about you. I was so scared to tell you I liked you, and for some reason I've been so afraid to tell you about my feelings."

"Feelings?" Kairi repeated. "Like how you like me?"

I nodded, scratching my head again. "Yeah, there's that. But it's… it's more than that, I think." I gulped. "I mean, I like you a lot, Kairi. But telling you I like you isn't really accurate. It doesn't really tell you how I really feel, I-I think."

"Why's that?" Kairi asked softly. I froze on the spot. "Sora, what do you mean?"

Time seemed to slow drastically to a stop until the world completely stilled. I could hear the beating of my heart pounding in my ears. I could feel the quick rush of air as I breathed and gulped it down.

There were many different ways this could have played out. I could have danced around the question and avoided it altogether. I could have just told her I liked her. I could have just waited for some sort of interruption, a convenient calling for the passengers of my plane.

But there were no interruptions this time. There was nothing that stood in the way to prevent me from saying what I had to say to Kairi. But there was a moment where I had to stop being insecure and man up.

There _was_ a moment where I decided I was not going to make the same mistake. I was going to do it right. This time, it was going to happen the way I wanted it to.

And it did.

"What I mean i-is…" I cleared my throat, "I've seriously fallen hard for you, Kairi. In the short couple months that we've been together, I know that I really _really_ like you and I really would rather we continue dating for a really long time because I've thought about a future with you. I've thought about what it'd be like without you, too, and that doesn't even compare to you being there. And I'll say it over and over again if I have to, as long as I'm being clear." I babbled nervously before I turned to look her straight in the eye. "I love you, Kairi."

I said it. I told my girlfriend, Kairi, that I had fallen in love with her. I half expected her to maintain those wide eyes of shock until I left. The other half expected her to react awkwardly and find a way to tell me that she liked me, but not loved me.

But Kairi, always seeming to defy my expectations and add a dose of unpredictability in my life, threw herself against me and wrapped me in a bear hug. I could feel her giggling in my chest as I slowly wrapped my arms tightly around her too.

"Oh jeez, Sora." Kairi's muffled voice reached my ears amidst her laughter. "You beat me to it."

"W-what? Beat you at what?" I tried to pry Kairi off so I could look at her, but she held strong.

"_Attention passengers: flight to Radiant Garden, Gate C-9, is now boarding. Rows A through F are now boarding."_ The intercom rang.

"I love you too, Sora." Kairi said into my chest. "I was going to say it first, but you beat me to it."

The butterflies in my stomach went absolutely wild. And, as cheesy as it sounds, my heart went soaring. Kairi loved me back!

"Ha... haha!" I laughed as I hugged her tighter. I pressed my lips to her head and whispered again. "I love you, Kairi." I was going to release my hold so I could look at her, but Kairi made no motion to loosen her hug.

"Don't look at me right now!" Kairi giggled with her face still buried in my chest. "My face is probably as red as my hair right now! Don't look at me!"

I laughed, smiling widely as I tried to get Kairi to unwrap her arms. "C'mon Kairi! You have to let me kiss you now!" I raised my voice above her laughter. "We just confessed our love for each other and you're not letting me kiss you!"

"_Flight to Radiant Garden, Gate C-9, is now boarding all other rows." _The flight attendant's voice rang over the intercom once again.

"Too bad, Sora!" Kairi pressed hard against me, giggling like a child. "No way I'm letting you see my face right now!"

I grinned devilishly. "You leave me no choice then…" I laughed as Kairi jerked about, trying her hardest to avoid my tickling fingers while keeping her face hidden from view. The result was Kairi hopping around with her butt poking outward. It was a strange sight, I'm sure, but here's the gist of it: If you were to superglue a person's face to someone else's torso and they tried to separate, that was us. Only Kairi's face was not superglued to my chest and her arms were still wrapped around my body in defiance.

"No! Stop! Give me a moment, damn it!" Kairi tried to sound annoyed and angry, but she laughed her way through it. I couldn't take her seriously.

"I'm sorry, but I'm leaving soon and I want to kiss my girlfriend." I tried to say it calmly, but Kairi then started to tickle my sides. "Gah, Kairi!" I immediately took hold of her hands, but she quickly brought them to her face and hid behind them. I panted between laughs, glad that I had escaped her counterattack. "Why can't I see your face, oh love of my life?"

"I told you already!" Kairi said behind her hands. "I can't stop smiling or laughing and I've even been laughing so hard that I've started crying!" Kairi said in one breath. "I feel like such a loser!"

I rolled my eyes, walking up to kairi and taking hold of her wrists. "Kairi, if it makes you feel any better, I'll close my eyes."

"How do I know you won't just keep them open? You only need one look, after all." She reasoned behind her hands.

"My gosh, Kairi. I'm asking for a kiss, not your pancreas." I rolled my eyes again. She giggled, revealing a huge smile behind her hands.

"Fine. Close your eyes. If I catch you cheating, I'm leaving!" Yes, apparently I have to bargain for my girlfriend's affection. I know how to pick 'em…

"Deal. Trust me, I'm closing my eyes right now." I said as I did what was promised. I waited a second before I felt Kairi inches from my face. Then, her soft lips were pressed against my own. I smiled into the kiss, embracing her in a tight hug as I deepened the kiss. I was left breathless as Kairi slowly parted from me. I could still feel her warm breath on my lips as I slowly opened my eyes.

Kairi stared back with half-lidded eyes, a silly smile plastered on her face.

"Mm…" she hummed in pleasure. "Yep, definitely in love with you, Sora." She closed her eyes and leaned forward. I chuckled before kissing her again.

"_Attention all passengers: flight to Radiant Garden, Gate C-9, is now boarding all rows. All remaining passengers are asked to please board at this time."_

Kairi and I stood still, embracing each other with smiles. She leaned back slightly, placing her hand on my cheek.

"I guess I have to board now." I said with a smile. Strange… I thought those words would be the saddest of the day. Kairi's smile didn't falter either.

"Guess so." She replied, rocking back and forth on her heels. Neither of us moved from our spots.

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too, Sora. Promise you'll call when you land?"

"I promise. But only if you promise to get on the computer when I get home." I agreed conditionally.

"All right. Text me before you lift off."

"I will." I nodded quickly before pulling her in for a hug. "I love you, Kairi."

"_Attention all passengers: flight to Radiant Garden, Gate C-9, is now boarding all rows. This is the final call. Flight to Radiant Garden, Gate C-9, is now boarding all rows._ _All remaining passengers are asked to board at this time. Thank you."_

"I love you too, Sora." Kairi squeezed me one final time before pulling away. "You've got a flight to board, mister."

"That I do…" I looked to see that no one else was boarding. Everyone must have been on the plane already. "I guess… 'til next time, Miss Kairi?"

She chuckled and smiled sweetly. "'Til next time."

I ran to the flight attendant, ticket in hand. As she scanned the ticket and verified my status as passenger, I turned one last time to Kairi to see her smiling face. I flashed a smile in return before turning back to the flight attendant.

"Enjoy your flight!" she saluted as I thanked her. I quickly walked down to the plane, noticing that most of the people were already seated. I took my seat a few rows back at a window, walking past a seat already claimed by a bag. I made myself comfortable, which wasn't too hard: for some reason I was flying first class. Courtesy of Aunt Tifa, I'm sure.

The flight attendants all boarded the plane and began preparations for their flying safety protocol. I pulled out my phone, finding the appropriate number and started a call.

The line picked up almost immediately. "I thought I told you to text me." Kairi's voice chided. I could envision the mirth in her eyes as she said it.

"Wasn't good enough. I had to hear your voice." I smiled into the receiver, knowing how cheesy I sounded. I was beyond caring at this point.

"Fair enough. How's your seating arrangement?" she asked to make conversation.

"Not bad. I'm flying first class and I got a window seat. I'm currently sitting next to a bag. I think someone will be there though." I looked out the window to see where Kairi and I had been standing. I couldn't see through the glass, but I knew she was still there. "Hey, you're still standing where I left you, right?"

"Yup."

"Count how many window panes you are starting from the left…" I told her. "That would be your right, by the way."

"I know, Sora. And I think I'm the third window from the right." She answered and then quickly added, "That would be your left, by the way."

"Awesome. I'm…" I looked over the chair in front of me and counted the seats ahead. "…the fourth window back, counting all the small ones. Can you see me?"

"Nope."

"Cool. I can't see you either. But this is cool, right? We're still staring at each other."

She laughed on the other end. "Theoretically, we would be. Unless you counted incorrectly. I could be staring at some weirdo on the plane."

"You're not. I'm definitely four seats back." I said confidently.

"Sora," Kairi changed the subject, "call me as soon as you land, all right? We'll have a video chat as soon as you get home too. I think it'd be fun to greet you in nothing but a towel, just like how we first met."

I felt my heart race at the thought. "W-wait, what?"

"Oh my gosh, you pervert!" Kairi laughed again. "You actually believed me!"

"Not funny." I slumped in my seat, but kept my eyes trained on the window.

"Fine, it was mean. But I'll make this promise: come back quickly enough and we'll continue right where we left off in my room yesterday."

My face heated up at the memory. I immediately began to crave Kairi's touch. "Why are you doing this to me, Kairi?"

"Meh," She probably shrugged to herself. "Incentive to come back soon, I suppose."

"Excuse me sir, we'll be leaving shortly. Could I ask you to please put your phone away?" a flight attendant asked as she stopped at my row.

"Oh, yeah! Definitely." I nodded as she walked away. I brought my phone back up to my ear. "Hey Kairi, we're leaving now."

"All right. Please don't forget to call me." She said worriedly.

"I won't, I promise. I love you, Kairi." A smile formed on my face as the words left my lips.

"I love you too, Sora. Have a safe flight." The call ended. I turned my phone off and slipped it into my pocket, sighing as I settled into my comfortable seat. An older man, probably in his mid-sixties, took the seat next to me and placed the bag in his lap. I smiled at him as he looked at me.

"Why the smile, young man?" he asked with a smile of his own. A golden beard outlined his white teeth. "Let me guess: you must be the CEO of one of those website things to be that happy and flying first class. Perhaps you finalized a deal that would make you a millionaire?"

"Not exactly." I replied as I buckled in. "I just found out that my girlfriend and I are in love. For real, too."

"Haha!" a deep, hearty laugh filled the cabin. He smoothed his long blond hair and slipped his bag under his seat. "That is more than enough reasons to smile. Congratulations, boy."

"Heh, thanks." I scratched my head. I looked out the window and noticed that we were no longer sitting at the terminal. The distance between Kairi and I had widened, but I was still happy. Everything I had expected today to be was just the opposite. Our parting wasn't as sad as I had imagined. In fact, it was more on the sweet side of things. Funny how a few simple words could turn the world upside down for the better. "I'll be back soon, Kairi." I said to myself.

I heard the older man next to me sigh in delight. "Oh, young love."

* * *

RE: Huge thanks to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their favorites or alert list! I'd like to mention some individuals who kindly reviewed:** Ziddy2343, 122boy, Moon Princess016, dearlybelovedangel, an1995616, Morgead'sgirl, ShadowSpooky, KH FF FTW acronyms, zestycrouton, Tyjet Ansatsu, Kingdom Hearts Otaku, GreyPurpleBlack, DestinyKeyblader28, mattjesse, , Drizztfan98, Don't Shoot the Puppy, Twisting Beliefs, Aaralynne, ChocoIsu, SecretAgent99, Electron Beam, Draconic, Nicrafetix, ., young gun kid, Ink Kissed, Shire Folk, mookie muffin, TinaalovesMints, Silver-09, Xirches, 0Wishful-Thoughts0.**

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Take care everyone, and I'll see you around!


	21. Epilogue

Epilogue: Just Another Chapter

Kairi stretched in her seat, groaning as a wave of relief washed through her. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she resumed her sitting position and reread the recently written letter on her desk. Satisfied, she folded it into three perfect sections and slipped it into a clean, stamped envelope. She wrote a familiar address in the center, the letters of the name curling under the spell of her neat handwriting.

There was something funny about proper letter addressing, Kairi thought. She wondered why no one mentioned how goofy it looked to write "Mr. and Mrs. Roxas" on the envelope.

She smiled at the thought of her work. Handwritten letters have long been deemed snail mail, but there was something that electronic mail would never be able to replicate: that true and traditional sense of communication just by seeing the handwriting of a loved one. That, and the excitement of finding a letter in the mailbox personally made for your eyes. Kairi herself enjoyed it when she got letters from fans and admirers when it didn't involve her e-mail address.

She tucked the letter into a small planner, resolving to take it to the post office in the morning. Then, she let her eyes trail around the room, taking in the surroundings.

It was a place Kairi thought she'd never thought of as a possible home. When she found out she was going to be staying at a log cabin for the next couple months, she was skeptical. But it didn't take her long to adjust to the brilliantly carved furniture and the intricate decorations of warm colors that made it feel so homely. Just the appearance of the walls made Kairi sigh in content: she certainly considered herself lucky, if not blessed.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. She always thought log cabins would smell like the wood, or something akin to pine. She quickly learned that it instead smelled like something burning, the result of a radiator that has been long out of use. She grew used to it in time, and the smell had long been replaced with whatever scented candle she chose. Today's choice: Vanilla Breeze. It seemed to fit well with her surroundings.

Kairi stood, walking over to the window. Pushing aside the crimson and ornately designed drapes, she peered outside. The snow fell heavily, piling on the ground just outside her warm sanctuary. A small grin appeared on her face as a certain mood finally returned to her.

She sat at her computer desk, waking the system up with a tap to the spacebar. Looking in the mirror, she brushed her hair while the computer finished rebooting. Satisfied with her appearance, she returned her gaze to the computer screen, opening a familiar program. She scrolled through her list of contacts, clicking a bolded name. A dial tone reverberated through her speakers, followed by a voice belonging to a young man. She smirked. He didn't bother turning the video on.

"You called?"

"I'm going to start filming now." Kairi answered as she looked at the clock. "Will you be joining me?"

"In a bit. I'm almost finished here. Go ahead though." He ended the call right there.

Kairi exhaled slowly. No matter how many times she did this, she always got a little nervous. Nevertheless, she sat up straight, adjusted her expensive high definition camera (a gift given to her thanks to an endorsement) on the tripod before her, and took hold of a small remote. She counted slowly to herself:

"Three, two, one…" The light on the camera came on, signaling that it was recording. Taking a deep breath, she started with her routine opener. She stared into the lens and began "M&M Daily, Episode twenty-one hundred…" Kairi froze as she realized she forget to even make a title. "Um… all right! I guess I don't have a title for this one. Welcome to yet another episode of Milk and Marshmallows! For those of you just tuning in now, I'm Kairi. For those of you who are already familiar with how this works, feel free as always to speed by this to the one minute mark as I fill the new people in." Kairi paused the remote, sighing when the light on the camera turned red.

This was always the fun part: She had exactly forty-five seconds to summarize who she was and describe her job, a challenge that grew harder and harder over time. Willing to step up to the challenge, Kairi sat up once again, rolled her shoulders, and turned the camera back on. "For all of those who are just tuning in, M&M is just a video log of the day in the life of me and my boyfriend."

"Fiancé, Kairi! We've done this a hundred times already!" a voice added to the video behind her. A young man holding two cups of hot chocolate appeared at the doorway and quickly made his way over, handing Kairi one of drinks. The young man smiled at the camera, wiping imaginary dust off his black hoodie as he bent down to look into it. "And I'm Sora. While M&M is usually a day-to-day video journal that we make for you guys to see, this one is actually pretty special. If you were hoping to find something else, well… try coming back next episode, because you definitely dropped in at the wrong time. But the fans ought to know the routine by now. Today marks the two thousandth… hundredth… did I say that correctly?"

"Today marks the two thousand, one hundredth episode of Milk and Marshmallows." Kairi said quickly as Sora lost steam. He sent an apologetic smile as she continued. "What Sora's trying to say is this: every one hundred videos, we take the time to thank the fans, answer some questions, discuss future destinations, and more importantly…"

"You guys learn a little history behind the two people who travel around the world and make these videos." Sora finished with a huge grin.

Kairi paused the camera once again, taking a sip of her warm beverage. "That was a bit too convenient, Sora. But good timing." She complimented with a pat on his head.

Sora laughed, pulling a rolling computer chair up next to Kairi. "I was walking down the hallway when I heard where you were in the video, so I actually ran in to join. It just so happened that I came in just in time to see you messing the whole thing up!" While Sora was ranting, Kairi sneakily turned on the camera with her remote. The camera turned on in time to catch Sora raising Kairi's hand to point at the ring around her finger. "What, do you think that's just for show, hon? It's not."

"And if you missed that episode… I think it was Episode 2011," Kairi spoke directly to the camera, "then you can see Sora's forgettable proposal. It's not my fault that I still think I'm just a girlfriend."

"Oh, it's on!" Sora chuckled as he dropped Kairi's hand in her lap. "Every hundred days, Kairi and I like to talk about our past. You know, let you know how we met, how we fell in love, the boring stuff." Sora took a sip of his signature hot chocolate before continuing. "New viewers, I seriously suggest watching every one hundred episodes, starting with the episode titled 'The Babysitter,' because you will seriously be lost. Also watch episodes titled 'Surprise!' and 'Hot Chocolate' because… well, they're like chapters of our life before M&M. I'll have the links below the video so you can go back."

"And for those of you who have been keeping up, you'll remember that we left off where Sora and I had just confessed our love for each other." Kairi pretended to fawn over her future husband. Sora leaned back with a smirk as Kairi took attention. "This episode is a little more special— and not as sappy— because some of you might have been following us since that time." Kairi grasped her cup with both hands, leaning her weight on her elbows. "We were separated, but we still chose to continue our relationship. We thought we could just chat every night and whatnot, but scheduling conflicts often strained that idea. So, we stepped out of our comfort zone and posted videos, addressed to each other, so we could keep in touch without actually having to be free at the same time. Since then, Sora and I have been uploading videos about anything. Sometimes we talked about school, our friends, or even places we wanted to visit. If you think it's cheesy… then it was Sora's idea."

"Hey!"

"But yeah. M&M Daily started soon after the events described in Episode 2000, titled 'Young Love.' So this episode will be like the epilogue, of sorts."

"And I know we usually take turns on these occasions," Sora added as he stared into the lens, "but this time, Kairi and I will be taking turns."

"As some of you may know, we weren't always the trekking couple we are today. In fact, it wasn't until nine hundred or so episodes that we suddenly struck gold. At the time, Sora and I were about… twenty years old. It all started when Sora and I took the camera out together to explore Destiny Islands. We also got permission to tour the house of the famous movie actor, Cloud Strife. I'm pretty sure our video views hiked up considerably for that episode." Kairi said more to Sora than the audience.

"That's right. People had been requesting since Episode 100 that we prove we met in that house. Older viewers may remember it as the first viewer challenge we ever accepted. I'm sure some of you just wanted to see Mr. Strife make a cameo appearance too. That was actually a lot of fun 'cause we totally showed 'em!" Sora said with a reminiscent grin. "It was then that we were called by some of the representatives on this site. Apparently we had one of the larger fan bases, and they hoped to get a contract with us."

"I think at the time we surged to five hundred thousand subscribers." Kairi finished the thought for her fiancé. "They wanted us to continue documenting on a daily basis with the same formula we used that episode: show people the world, as well as share our 'interesting' story."

"So for the past twelve hundred episodes or so," Sora started, "we've taken you around the world with us. We visited all the top tourist destinations at Destiny Islands— an endeavor that spanned at least twenty episodes— and showed you guys around. Along the way, we kind of promoted tourism, local shops that made it into our list of favorite places on the island, and pretty much gave you guys a way to travel the world without leaving your seat."

"We've since been to many places. To name a few: Radiant Garden, famous for its rich history and innovative technology; Twilight Town, the origin of the national sensation of Struggle Tournaments; and just last week, the deserts of Agrabah. This of course would not have been possible without all your support."

Kairi paused, temporarily halting the filming. She pulled out a notebook and went down a checklist for the episode. The feeling of forgetting to mention something ate away at her.

Sora exhaled loudly, staring at Kairi. When she raised a brow in question, he spoke up. "Was my proposal really forgettable?"

Kairi laughed, rolling her eyes at his insecurity. "Sora, I was kidding. I don't think I'll ever forget how you nearly fell off the balcony of that Hawaiian resort." She took his hands in her own. "I'm still here too. I never thought this was how things would turn out between us. It's like a dream come true."

Sora nodded in agreement. Not everyone in the world could say they did the same thing that Sora and Kairi did, especially at the young age of twenty-three. They were internet celebrities, notorious for their video journals and amateur documentary-style uploads. Since starting six years ago, their channel _Milk and Marshmallows_ amassed a following of both young and old interested in their story and their travels. Sora was known for his goofy personality and competitive streak: interviewers often asked him why he took on the dares that his fans challenged him with. Sora would merely laugh and tell them he wanted to do those things anyway. Who didn't want to skydive, zipline, and raft through rapids?

Kairi, on the other hand, seemed to be the mediator between the two. She was more known for being the brains of the couple. He didn't mind though: it made them more complementary than anything else.

And while it was a dream job, it wasn't always easy. He and Kairi oftentimes worked with the camera off as well. The biggest challenges revolved around filming: since they weren't allowed to take their camera everywhere, they always worked at least two months ahead of time to plan out their next destination. They would have to call certain tourist destinations, explain who they were, and ask if they could video log their experience. Sora and Kairi often got their way thanks to their planning; when they couldn't film, they'd simply review their experience later.

The biggest perk: they didn't pay for any of it. Their whole journey around the world was paid for and sponsored by the website they technically worked for. They essentially got paid to do the things they wanted to do, even getting a wide degree of freedom: all they had to do was film it all. Sora usually chose the destinations, either following the requests of the reviewers or because he wanted to see something for himself. It really was a matter of getting Kairi to agree to his ideas, which wasn't that hard anyway.

He watched Kairi set her notebook back down on the desk, her brow furrowed in thought. It was probably time to resume filming. That, or they messed up and would have to refilm.

"Sora, you uploaded yesterday's video already, right?" Kairi asked as she sipped the remains of her hot chocolate. He nodded.

"As soon as we arrived. What's left for the episode?"

"From where we left off… let's finish up about ourselves. Then we can give a shout-out to the fans we ran into in Agrabah. We also need to thank our three million subscribers." Kairi read off casually.

The number made Sora's eyes bulge. "Three million subscribers?" A smile easily formed on Sora's face as he was hit with reality. "Holy crap. Are we that famous? Sure doesn't feel like it."

"Apparently. There's a lot of good questions too, so we'll save that for last, just before the sign-off. Come on, we have some filming to do." Kairi said as she settled into her seat. Sora rolled his seat closer to her, placing a kiss on her lips.

"Let's do it."

* * *

Two hours later, the couple sat at the computer and edited their video segments, trying to keep the episode to a half-hour length. They had not completely finished the episode, but they had fulfilled the objectives that Kairi had set for them.

Wiping her eyes tiredly, Kairi drank from her newly made hot chocolate. Checking the clock, she noticed it was nearing an hour past midnight.

"Finished!" Sora exclaimed as he turned to Kairi. She leaned in closer to review the edited video.

Satisfied with his work, she sighed contentedly. Just the final segment left!

Sora was keen on finishing as well, which he made obvious by quickly setting the camera up once again. "Finally. I feel like we've been working on this forever."

"We have, Sora." Kairi smiled as she took a hold of the camera remote. "But we got everything done. We finished recapping, thanked our fans, answered their questions, gave some shout-outs… "Kairi listed off vocally, "I think we got everything. All that's left is the sign off and a preview for tomorrow."

"Awesome." Sora said under his breath as he took his seat beside her. Before Kairi could ask if he was ready, Sora beat her to a question. "Hey Kairi, what will we do now that we've finished our story? We can't exactly do what we've been doing for the past six years. We'll need to come up with something new for the one-hundred episode landmarks."

Kairi pondered the options. Outside of recounting the past, she was stumped. "I don't know, Sora. Our little routine had us going for over two thousand episodes… "

"We could always take a break." Sora voiced his idea quietly. Kairi looked at him curiously. "I know, we've been video documenting our lives for two thousand-something days straight. That's a crazy accomplishment, if it could be called that. But when's the last time we went out without a camera?"

Now that Kairi thought about it, she couldn't remember the last time they had a day off. It was true: for twenty-one hundred days straight, Sora and Kairi never failed to either talk into or take the camera around and share their day with their fans. "Hmm…"

"I just thought we could have the day to ourselves." Sora took Kairi's hand with a smile. "I love what we do, Kairi. I really do. I sometimes can't believe our conversation on that car ride to the airport and our video posting would ever amount to anything. I consider myself the luckiest man on this planet not just because the woman I love said yes, but because I get to do it all with you." Sora smiled, his emotion gaining hold of his voice. "But it doesn't hurt to take a day off every now and then. Our job has been to live our lives just as we please. Why don't we use every one hundred episodes to skip out on work? That way, it'll really be just us. You and me, Kairi."

"Oh, Sora…" Kairi fell into his arms, feeling a warm sensation spread throughout her body as he embraced her. "You're just saying that 'cause you're a lazy bum."

He chuckled, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Maybe I am. But I also think we deserve a day where we can stay in bed together and watch movies. Or… since our job is to essentially vacation, why don't we spend ours working at some big company? We'll be that weird couple whose vacation is the normal person's day at work."

Kairi lifted her head from Sora's shoulder. "Staying in bed all day sounds awesome." Kairi said wistfully.

"So you think it's a good idea?" Sora asked eagerly. He was hoping she would agree.

"I'll think about it. For now, that sounds like the best option." Kairi leaned closer to Sora, meeting his lips in a lingering kiss. After all these years, it still placed her on top of the world. She pulled away slightly, just enough to whisper to him. "We have to film this last segment."

"I know." Sora tucked strands of hair behind Kairi's ear. "I'm ready when you are. Time to put this thing away."

His fiancé nodded, taking in a deep breath in an attempt to hide her fatigue as they prepared to record their final part of the video. With a squeeze of Sora's hand, Kairi began recording the final segment.

* * *

"When I go back and watch old videos posted between Sora and I, I remember just how long all of you have been with us. For some of you, you've been following our story since I first started telling it in Episode 100, The Babysitter. Never did I think at the age of nineteen that I'd be doing that, nor did I think that five years later I'd be twenty-three and wrapping things up."

"Unfortunately, you guys have pretty much heard everything on how Kairi and I met. One hundred days ago, I described the final events that led to the creation of our channel, _Milk and Marshmallows_. There isn't anything left for us to tell you since it's all uploaded right here. Feel free to check them out if you'd like to catch up!"

"Since then, our musings in the car that day became our livelihood. This isn't the last episode, but I have to tell you that it's been fun traveling around the world not only with Sora, but with you guys as well. Our story ends here, but we've got a whole world to explore and a lifetime of countless journeys ahead of us. And because of this ring right here, count on Sora and I being together every day. Right, Sora?"

"Uh… yeah! We will. As Kairi said earlier, this may be an epilogue, but it's essentially just another chapter of our lives together. And we hope that all you fans choose to stick around for the ride too. It's past midnight here near Beast's Castle, but in the morning, I finally get to prove to Kairi that the Beast _did_ exist and that the castle _was_ magical."

"We've got a big day ahead of us. By the time you finish this video, we'll be checking out that castle and all the secrets it has kept for centuries."

"And who knows? Maybe you might learn something not told in the fairy tales. It's just one of the many adventures we plan to have, and we hope you'll come along!"

"So thanks for watching today's episode. With love for our friends, family, and fans, this is Kairi—"

"And Sora!"

"—signing out for _Milk and Marshmallows_."

* * *

**Redeeming Endeavor**: So ends the story of a couple whose relationship started over a cup of hot chocolate (ignoring the riffraff that happened before the first civil conversation). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that. Feel free to tell me anything you want, whether it be disappointment, flames, or compliments. I take them all.

For those interested: At the time of this posting, M&M has **50,015 hits, 272 favorites, and 219 Alerts. **Thank you so much for sticking around, readers!

It's been a great ride, guys. Again, thank you all for reading my first story and KH fic EVER. Never in a million years did I think I'd make such an impact for some of you.

Thanks for all the support. Take care, and I'll see you around!

_Redeeming Endeavor_


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